


Shattered Images

by Darkkslytherin



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Dark Harry, Gen, Spy Harry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-06
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:21:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 37,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27411874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darkkslytherin/pseuds/Darkkslytherin
Summary: Death Eaters instead of Voldemort come to Godric's Hallow that fateful night. How does this one change affect the fate of the Wizarding World? Dark!Harry Alive!Lily Alive!James
Comments: 2
Kudos: 27
Collections: Dark Liege Potter, The Harry Potters





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter

James grinned as he watched his son reach up to grab at the colored spheres floating from the tip of Lily's wand. He never thought that the childish pining of his Hogwarts years would blossom into the beautiful family he now gazed lovingly at. The scene was almost enough to make him forget the events of the past few years, the untimely and numerous deaths that marred each beautiful moment. The smiling photographs containing people he would never see alive again. The empty seats present at every order meeting. All this sadness the result of one man. A man who would soon cause more damage to this perfect image than James could ever even imagine.  
Lily stretched as she stood and picked up her baby boy, tucking her wand into her robe's pocket as she did so. She smiled tiredly at her husband before beginning the walk up the stairs to Harry's nursery. She had nearly reached the top step when a knock sounded on the front door. Glancing back at James as he opened the door, she saw their friend Peter at the threshold, looking visibly upset.  
"Peter? What's wrong?" James glanced concernedly around.  
"I'm sorry, James, forgive me, Lily, so sorry so-"  
"What-" James froze.  
Half a dozen black-clad figures were gathered behind Peter, their allegiance unmistakable with their dark robes and gleaming white masks.  
James slammed the door and pivoted to Lily without another thought.  
"Go to the nursery-" James' desperate cry was half lost in the resounding crash which rang through the hall as the door slammed open.  
Half the Death Eaters ran straight past James and headed in the direction which Lily had taken Harry, and the other three drew their wands and prepared to duel with James. Peter had long since taken off into the night, still muttering apologies and lamentations.  
Lily huddled in the corner of the nursery, clutching her son close. She grasped the small red orb which hung at her neck, murmuring the activation words which would notify the rest of the order of an attack. She heard heavy footsteps on the stairs and prayed help would come before the protection wards on the nursery door fell.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sirius and Remus sat at the kitchen table of 12 Grimmauld Place, each sipping at a glass of amber firewhiskey. A sudden high-pitched beeping filled the room as a glass orb on the table filled with glowing red smoke.  
Both men leapt to their feet as Sirius exclaimed "Godric's Hollow!"  
They were out the door in mere second, Remus having sent his wolf patronus ahead to Mad-Eye and Dumbledore. Bounding down the front steps, they apparated away with a resounding crack, leaving a dark, empty street behind.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

James swallowed hard as he steadied his shaking hand and faced the three masked figures before him. He knew he had to hold them off only long enough for the order to arrive, but that task was seeming mor difficult by the second.  
One of the men tilted his head before chuckling and saying, "you should be more careful with your choice of friends next time, Potter." He then signaled his companions, and the battle began.  
Curses flew blindingly fast through the air, and it was all James could do to raise a shield before he was struck down by the red stunning spells. He countered with a swift cutting curse, before being forced to raise his shield again. The battle continued in this fashion, with James occasionally able to toss a curse in between shields, for another 5 minutes. Just as James began to lose hope, believing Lily was caught before being able to notify their friends, the door burst open for the second time that evening.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lily felt the tears course down her face as she listened to the near constant attacks raining down upon the nursery door. Harry peered up at her with his shining emerald eyes, and she felt herself shudder as she imagined a curse of the same color stealing that light away. She clutched him close again, swearing she would die before losing him.  
Cracks began splitting down the white door and Lily knew it would not be long before the door gave in under the onslaught, when she heard a loud bang from the lower level. Suddenly the sounds at the door ceased and all was silent in the house. Lily dipped her head into Harry's soft black hair and cried in relief. Help had come at last.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The moment the door was opened, and order members came through into the entrance hall, the six Death Eaters fled through the fallen apparition wards. Sirius ran straight to the exhausted James and began fretting over him.  
"Prongs? Prongs, are you ok? What happened? Where's Lily? James?"  
"Let him breathe, Pads," Remus admonished, glancing concernedly down at his friend then up towards the stairs he knew led to the nursery, where Lily and Harry would be, "I'll be right back."  
As Remus bounded up the stairs Sirius returned his gaze to his fallen friend.  
"James, what happened? The wards-"  
"I know pads, it was Peter, he betrayed us."  
"What! That- that traitor. How dare he! I swear I'll kill-"  
"Sirius, no, stop, let him be for now. There are more important things to worry about. For one, why did the Death Eaters come in the first place? I mean, wouldn't You-Know-Who have wanted to come himself if it was Harry he was after?"  
"I don't know… Dumbledore?"  
Said man turned from where he and Mad-Eye were re-applying the wards and stared contemplatively at the two friends.  
"I believe they were sent to capture young Harry and bring him directly to Voldemort. That would be a far safer option than him coming on his own and risking capture."  
"The coward," James spat, "sending henchmen to do his dirty work."  
"Yes well, the question now remains what to do with the boy, it is evident he cannot remain safely here," Dumbledore reasoned.  
At that moment Remus came down the stairs, helping a shaken Lily and cradling a sleeping Harry in his arms.  
Lily stared at Dumbledore before asking "Where will he be safe? That- that bastard won't stop until he gets to my poor baby boy. If only that horrid prophesy…" she trailed off as the tears returned.  
James got up with some help from Sirius and staggered over, taking her in his arms and turning toward Dumbledore expectantly.  
"This is a conversation better suited to my office, after you are all checked over by healers, of course," Dumbledore calmly responded.  
At that Lily turned to her husband worriedly and glanced him over for obvious injuries. Seeing none she nodded slowly and together they walked toward the fireplace, picking up Harry from Remus as they went.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The couple sat in St. Mungo's for 45 minutes before being discharged by the healers with little more than a few calming potions for Lily and pain relief for James's minor cuts and bruises. They smiled warily and asked to use the floo in order to get to Hogwarts.  
They were swept through the floo network before being deposited into the circular office of Albus Dumbledore. The headmaster smiled warmly at the two and motioned to the two comfortable chairs in front of his desk. Tilting the little bowl of candies towards them he offered, "Lemon drop?"  
"No, thank you headmaster," Lily declined, then straightened and knit her eyebrows in concern asking, "what do you propose we do?"  
"Well, Lily, I believe the safest thing to do for young Harry is for him to go into hiding until he is of an age to begin defensive training."  
"But isn't that what we did last time? And he still found us," James rebutted.  
"Right you are, my boy, but you see, the difference will be that Harry will not be residing with you this time, so even if you are discovered, no one but the three of us will know where young Harry truly is."  
"What? No. No, Dumbledore, he's our son, we have to stay together. We're a family," Lily turned agitatedly to James, "James, you can't be considering this!"  
"No, of course not, Dumbledore, there's got to be another way."  
"I'm afraid I've reviewed all the other options; none are as safe as this. Harry will be collected at age 7 to be trained to defend himself, but until that point it is far safer that he be kept in a place no one will think to look."  
"And where is that?" Lily asked skeptically.  
"Why, your muggle relatives, my dear."  
"What? No! Absolutely not! They hate magic, we don't even speak to them more than once a year!" James objected.  
"Which is precisely why they are the best option, Petunia will be a fine woman to raise young Harry until we can collect him, and no one will ever suspect he is residing there," Dumbledore returned.  
"I suppose… Pet does have her own son; he might be a good playmate for Harry. We'll have to be able to visit, headmaster. I'm not leaving him for six years without any knowledge of his parents," Lily looked pleadingly to the old man.  
"I'm afraid that will not be prudent, my dear. You may instead write letters to send with the monthly fund we will send to care for the boy."  
"But, I don't, James, how could we just abandon him?"  
"Lils, I hate it too, but if it means Harry will be safe – and he will be safe, right Dumbledore?" at the returned nod James continued, "do we really have a choice? I mean, we won't be doing our baby any favors by getting him killed."  
"Alright, I suppose when you put it like that… but I still hate it!"  
"Me too, Lils, me too," James pulled her close once more.  
"Excellent! I've already made arrangements for his relocation tonight," Dumbledore rose and extended his arms to take Harry from Lily.  
"I- can we have a moment?" Lily was close to tears, with James not far behind.  
"Of course, let me know when you're ready," Dumbledore replied.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Early that same morning Petunia Dursley stood in her kitchen, holding a dark-haired baby and bundle of money, wondering what had caused this unexpectant disturbance to her perfect family.  
Two families would never be the same as a result of that night, two previously perfect images shattered into nonexistence.

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AN: First chapter done! Let me know what you think! I know this was pretty short, but the chapters will get longer as I go. Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter; I’m just borrowing it for a little while  
________________________________________  
Sweat trickled down 5-year-old Harry’s back as he weeded his aunt’s flower beds. He’d been working in the yard for the past 3 hours, but had yet to take a break, except for quick, sneaked drinks from the hose. Rising and twisting his back to work out the kinks, Harry made his way to the back door so he could start on dinner.   
Just as he reached his hand out to grasp the doorknob, the door flew open with enough force to throw him back onto the ground.  
“Boy! Stop lazing there on the ground and get in here, your uncle will be home soon,” Aunt Petunia’s shrill voice pierced through the air.  
“Yes’m,” Harry mumbled before clambering to his feet and shuffling inside, his sense of self-preservation keeping him from talking back and causing himself more problems.  
Harry had been charged with cooking the family’s meals since he turned five. He knew the routine by heart after 3 months of cooking an obscene amount of food, portioning it out to his family members, and waiting to eat his meager portion until after the rest had finished. After seasoning and heating the canned tomato sauce, Harry boiled water for pasta and went to set the table.   
As he walked to the dining room, Harry saw his aunt pulling a bundle of money from a large envelope, shortly followed by a thick letter. He watched as she tore open the letter, scanned it, then tossed it into the fireplace.  
Petunia then turned towards him and started, before snarling “What’re you looking at, freak?”  
“Nothing, Aunt Petunia,” he responded, turning towards the table to set out the three placements. He would eat in the kitchen.  
At six-o’clock Vernon Dursley thundered through the front door, bringing with him a whale-like Dudley who he had picked up from a friend’s house.  
“Dinner on the table, boy?” Vernon demanded as he gruffly shoved his coat into his nephew’s arms.  
Carefully schooling his face into a neutral expression which he knew was the safest choice when dealing with his uncle, Harry nodded in affirmation. Vernon grunted before ambling into the dining room, Dudley waddling behind without a glance at his cousin. After four years of dealing with his uncle, Harry knew better than to seek appreciation or, the thought was almost laughable, pride in response to his achievements, but the cold dismissal still stung, nonetheless.  
Harry stared out the kitchen window as he waited the family to finish their supper so he could do the washing up. He imagined a savior coming out of the shadows to take him away from his relatives, and he jumped when he detected movement in the very spot he had just been staring. He had known he could make things he wanted happen since he was four, but to wish a whole person into existence was simply ludicrous. Continuing to stare into the darkness, his green eyes narrowed in confusion. Whatever he had been so sure to have seen a moment ago seemed to have vanished into thin air.   
Just then he heard the Dursleys getting up from the table and went to go clear the dishes, all thoughts of the mysterious figure fleeing as he cleaned and then ate his own dinner.  
Three hours later Harry had been shoved into his cupboard for the night. He fell asleep to thoughts of freedom from his loveless home and a mysterious figure shrouded in shadows.  
________________________________________  
Lord Voldemort sat in his high backed, throne-like chair at the front of the hall, his most trusted Death Eaters arranged in front of him.   
“What of the boy?” His cold, cruel voice rang through the hall, one that would have caused a weaker Death Eater to flinch away.  
“My lord,” Lucius Malfoy began with a sweeping bow, “we’ve located him residing with a muggle family.”  
“A disgusting home for a wizarding child,” Voldemort spat with a repulsed sneer.  
Tom Riddle had always valued magical children above all other people; a sentiment shared by most members of the “dark.” Magical children were seen as a highest gift and were to be treated as such. Hearing that a near-pureblooded child was being kept in a muggle home with likely no knowledge of magic was testing his every instinct to go and liberate him. But, of course, this particular child was prophesied to be his downfall, and so it was better he be weak and unknowledgeable, so that when the time came, and Harry Potter was vulnerable, his men could strike down this one and only weakness.   
“Continue watching the boy and report back to me every detail, that I may decide the best time to end the brat,” Voldemort waved his slender hand in cold dismissal after issuing this final order.  
His men filed out of the room leaving Voldemort alone in his meeting chamber. He leaned an elbow on the armrest and stroked his long fingers over Nagini’s smooth, iridescent scales. Riddle was a handsome man, with high, aristocratic features and wavy, dark locks. His most noticeable feature, however, were his bloodred eyes, a result of his entanglement in the darkest of arts. He prided himself on his direct lineage to Slytherin himself and had effectively erased nearly all known ties to his muggle father.   
Voldemort gracefully rose and started towards the large oak doors at the end of the chamber.   
“Come, Nagini,” he hissed in parseltongue, making his way down the darkened yet opulent hallways to his private study. Hissing the password at the portrait of Salazar, Riddle entered the decadent private chambers he had personalized to his liking.   
Black walnut paneled walls accented the dark marble flooring, and crystal chandeliers were set high in the vaulted ceilings, charmed to give off copious amounts of light, along with the tall, arching windows, to brighten massive rooms. Black leather chairs and a sofa were positioned strategically about an elegant coffee table, all offset with a neutral but soft throw rug. This formal sitting room exuded an air of perfected elegance and power. The same opulent style flavored Voldemort’s office, bedchamber, bathroom, and both the formal and private dining areas. Small accents of emerald green and sterling silver marked the manor’s Slytherin heritage without being overbearing, and the Dark Lord’s love of literature was highlighted in the floor to ceiling bookcases which lined many of the walls.   
Voldemort lowered himself into one of the leather armchairs and snapped for a house elf to bring him a glass of firewhiskey. He stared contemplatively into the burning fireplace, thoughts turning once more to Harry Potter.  
________________________________________  
The following morning, Lucius Malfoy stood, disillusioned, in the shadows behind the Dursley’s house. He had taken up his watch 20 minutes ago but had yet to actually lay eyes on the boy. He knew Harry was the same age as his own son, Draco, and was curious to see just how similar the boys would seem. He knew, of course, that his own son would be far more refined and powerful, being the full pureblood as he was, but Potter’s blood was almost pure, and so the boy surely had to have at least a bit of potential.   
Just then, Lucius heard the sound of a door being thrown open. He turned his head in the direction of the back door in time to see a small, skinny boy being tossed out into the yard.  
“And don’t even think of coming back until all those leaves are raked and disposed of!” a shrill, grating voice bit out from over the threshold of the door.   
The door slammed shut with the unmistakable click of a lock, and the dark-haired boy picked himself up from the ground. A flash of a Snape-worthy snarl appeared on his young face before being masked behind a perfectly neutral mask unbefitting of a boy his age.   
Harry surveyed the large yard, assessing that there was no way he would be able to pick up all the leaves in time to fix lunch. Knowing it had to be done, regardless, he decided the best course of action was to use some of those odd wishing powers he had discovered not too long ago.  
Lucius watched in bewilderment, closely followed by astonishment as the five-year-old screwed up his face in concentration. Harry seemed to radiate magic as the leaves around him began to stir and then fly into a neat pile in the corner of the yard. This was magic not one of his fellow Death Eaters’ similarly aged children was capable of. To perform such a large task at will and without a wand was a feat practically unheard of. This was surely a development his lord had not been anticipating.  
The blond’s attention was called back to the boy as he began stuffing the leaves into black garbage bags to be placed by the curbside. He seemed completely unfazed by the magic he had just performed, leading Malfoy to believe this was not a terribly uncommon occurrence.   
The boy continued his yardwork until about 11:30, at which time he tapped on the back door with his small fist and was admitted inside to prepare lunch. Lucius took the opportunity at the sound of the closing door to disapparate to Slytherin Manor without being detected.   
________________________________________  
Malfoy swept past the Death Eaters on guard duty and into the entrance hall of Slytherin Manor. He walked purposefully towards his master’s private receiving room and rapped his knuckles twice upon the sturdy doors. They swung open at a murmured command from within the room, and Lucius started forward once more, coming to a rest before the Dark Lord’s chair.   
“I assume you bring news of the boy, Lucius,” Voldemort mused as Malfoy sank into a bow.  
“Indeed, my lord,” Lucius replied, rising, “I believe you will find this newest development most… interesting.”  
“Oh?” The dark lord raised one elegant eyebrow.  
“The child seems to be quite proficient in his control of magic, he was able to perform quite a large task simply by willing it to be done.”  
Riddle’s other eyebrow rose to match the first, “You mean to say that despite the boy living with magic hating muggles who no doubt told him nothing of the wizarding world, he has managed to muster command over his magics? Enough to use them at will without draining himself?” At his Death Eater’s nod, he breathed, “Remarkable.”  
“My lord, that is not all,” Lucius continued, “from the small amount of time I’ve spent observing the child, I’ve picked up on some rather… Slytherin… qualities. He has an innate sense of self-preservation as well as an unusually developed emotional mask for a child his age.”  
“Hmmm, very intriguing indeed, Lucius. I shall continue to take these findings into consideration.”  
“Very good, my lord. Thank you.”  
“Mm, you may go,” Lord Voldemort flicked his fingers in a dismissive manner, watching as his most trusted follower exited the room.  
“We have much to think about, Nagini. I had not considered the possibility of the boy being useful before but, now- I do not wish to see such power and potential go to waste.”  
“Your Death Eater’s description reminded me very much of you when you were young, master,” Nagini hissed in reply.  
“Indeed? How very – interesting, my dear. Very interesting indeed,” After a moment of thought Voldemort continued, “Perhaps we will have to pay the boy a visit sooner than I anticipated.”  
________________________________________  
Lily ran her finger down the page one more time, rereading the letter before she passed it to James so he could add his portion. She had been religiously writing letters each week for her son, more often than not including photographs or little gifts in the envelope. She would occasionally receive a little marker drawing enclosed with her sister’s reply letter, but never anything to really indicate that her son had heard the letters. She relied on the word of her sister that Harry was being read the letters and what his responses were. She worried occasionally that Harry didn’t really understand that his parents loved him, but a few reassuring words from Petunia and a nondescript child’s drawing labeled with her son’s name were enough to temporarily dissuade her fears.  
“I wish we could go visit him, I don’t know if I’ll be able to last two more years,” Lily turned toward James.  
“Me too, Lils, I miss him every day,” James looked pained, he had taken the absence of his son especially hard, only coming out of his depression at the birth of their second son, Leo.   
“Maybe we could talk to Dumbledore again-”  
“Lily, darling, we both know what he’ll say, we’ve asked a thousand times already.”  
“Yes but, if we were really careful, I’m sure no one would suspect that we were going there to see our son, who was ‘sent abroad.’ I mean, my sister already lives there…”  
“I know Lily, but Dumbledore says that even giving away that one of your relations lives there would be dangerous… and we both know he’s right.”  
“Yes, but, oh James! I just hate this so much!” Lily was close to tears.  
“Me too, my love, me too.”  
This same conversation occurred close to twice a month, always ending with both parents close to or in tears.   
The floo flared a moment later, Sirius appearing in the emerald flames. He walked into the sitting room and took in the scene of the teary-eyed parents.  
“Writing Harry’s letter?” at James’s nod he gestured towards the envelope, “mind if I add a page? I haven’t written in over a month.”  
“Of course you can, Padfoot, you don’t need to ask to write to your own godson,” James replied.  
The grim Animagus sat and began a fresh page of the letter. Both he and Remus had taken the separation from Harry hard; Sirius because of the godfather-bond, and Remus especially because Moony had accepted Harry as his cub since his birth. The three marauders and Lily all counted down the days until Harry was seven and they could go collect him.   
Lily got up off the couch as the monitoring charm on Leo’s bed alerted her that the three-year-old was awake from his nap. She walked into his nursery - a different one from Harry’s, which they had converted into a room fitting for a seven-year-old - and picked up her sleepy son.  
Leo was similar looking to his brother had been as a baby but had slightly lighter hair and his father’s hazel eyes rather than Lily and Harry’s emerald orbs. Leo had grown up with stories of his brother, and frequently asked when he could play with “Hawee.” Lily’s heart broke a little each time he asked, and she mourned the fact that Leo and Harry were missing out on precious moments with each other.   
She knew that their family only had to hold on for two more years. Two, impossibly long, painful, years.   
________________________________________  
A couple days later Harry was dusting the living room, and as he looked at all the pictures of Dudley and his aunt and uncle, he found his thoughts turning to his own family. His real family, that is. His aunt had told him from the beginning what a nuisance he was, enough so that his parents gave him away to his mother’s sister. He had never questioned this, after all, he knew his parents were still alive, Aunt Petunia told him so, and he had never received so much as a letter or phone call from his birth family.  
As he continued on with his chores Harry felt a growing resentment bubble within him   
‘I am not such an irritation, after all, I do my chores and even if aunt and uncle never say so, I know I do them well,’ Harry thought as he swept Dudley’s markers into a little box. He was never allowed to play with Dudley’s toys, though every once in a while, Aunt Petunia would let him color a picture which she wrote his name on. He never knew what she did with those colorings, but he wasn’t too concerned. They weren’t anything special.   
Harry walked outside to start on the day’s yardwork. He wasn’t big enough to use the lawnmower yet, but his aunt had him use little shears to trim the grass nearest the front steps where the mower didn’t reach. There, he crouched down and began his task.   
Lord Voldemort apparated to the outskirts of Little Whinging, a couple of his inner-circle members accompanying him. He then began the walk to number 4, Privet Drive to seek out one Harry Potter.  
Said boy glanced up from his work a few minutes later to catch sight of a tall, handsome man standing at his gate, but not coming close enough to touch it.   
Harry got up and, dusting himself off, asked “Can I help you, sir?”  
“My what manners for such a young boy,” Voldemort praised, aiming to make they boy more relaxed, “indeed, would you mind coming here, child.”  
Harry looked suspicious but walked a bit nearer the strange man, “I’m not supposed to leave the gate,” he explained as he stopped just shy of the white fence.   
He and the man were now just a few feet apart, and Harry was fascinated to see that the man had not brown eyes, as he had originally thought, but rather crimson ones which shone similarly to his own.  
Tom Riddle was surprised, but pleased to see curiosity, rather than fear, in the boy’s eyes as they looked into his own. A shallow test of legillimency and a sensing of the magical core of the child in front of him confirmed all which his Death Eaters had told him. The boy was a natural Slytherin and had a supreme magical core, enough so that it would be too great a pity to kill him now that he was here.   
“Do you enjoy living here, child?” Voldemort inquired.  
The boy seemed thrown off guard for a moment before carefully stating, “It’s better than nowhere, sir.”  
“Indeed. Well, I have a proposition for you,” Riddle watched as they boys eyes sparked at his words, “I have need of a powerful child, and it seems you have need of – adequate – arrangements, so I propose we solve each other’s problems.”   
Harry considered the man’s words before saying, “what makes you say I’m powerful?”  
“You’ll find I have a sense for these things.”  
“And I’ll never have to see my aunt and uncle again?”  
“Not so long as you live,” Voldemort confirmed.  
Harry was intrigued. This type of proposal was one he had not considered in all his dreams of salvation. Should he take the strange man up on his offer? What if he broke his promise? Could it really be worse than his life with his relatives? Harry didn’t think so.  
And so, in a rather childish move of trustingness, Harry opened the gate and stepped towards Voldemort.   
After the Dark Lord had apparated away with the boy, Lucius, Bellatrix, and the Lestrange brothers approached the house. Being sure to bend the wards Dumbledore had placed in such a way that he would not be notified of their arrival, the four crept into the house.   
Splitting up, Lucius and Bella went in search of the family, while Rudolphus and Rabastan sifted through the day’s mail in search of the weekly letter from James and Lily. Finding the envelope quickly, as it was the largest one there, they charmed it so that every letter from that address would come directly to them rather than the soon to be nonexistent Dursley household.   
Malfoy and Bella crept up behind the family seated on the couch in front of the television and cast three stunners in quick succession. Lucius then legilimised Petunia. He was not a particularly accomplished Legilimens, but he was able to glean enough information from her that they’d be able to produce accurate letters to reply to Lily each week.   
The house was then set ablaze, and the four Death Eaters apparated away, confident that the light would be unaware that Harry Potter was gone until they went to collect him almost two years from then.  
Much later that night, after Harry had been tucked into bed with a dreamless sleep potion, Lord Voldemort reclined in his armchair with Nagini by his side.  
“We have made a good decision today, Nagini. The boy will prove to be a valuable asset in my endeavors.”  
“Yes, Master, the boy feels quite powerful. Are you going to blood adopt him into the noble line of the serpents?”  
“I believe that would be beneficial, yes, Nagini. I shall have a true heir. One made from what would have been my weakness.”  
“The irony is lovely, master.”  
Indeed, Nagini, and perhaps they boy will play a larger role in this war than any of us ever imagined.”  
________________________________________  
AN: Thank you for the reviews! I hope you like this newest chapter. Let me know what you think and ask any questions in the reviews, or PM me!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter  
X  
A raven-haired seven-year-old walked purposefully through the hallways of Riddle Manor, having just finished a dueling lesson with Rabastan Lestrange. The boy was dressed in black robes of the highest quality, with green silk trim that accentuated his emerald eyes. His father frequently likened the eyes to the killing curse, and Harry was rather fond of the comparison.   
Harry slipped through the portrait which led to his personal wing of the sprawling manor, a section which very few people even knew existed. He loved his life here in Riddle Manor; he was trained in all the dark arts, as well as potions, wandless magic, and occlumency. Pulling open one side of a set of glossy, black French doors, Harry entered his expansive bedroom.  
Glancing around, he snatched a sheath of streamlined throwing knives, as well as an intricate skull-like silver mask at the last minute. Harry wore this mask whenever he ventured outside of the domain of the manor where only his father’s closet and most trusted were permitted. His father insisted it was for his own protection – they couldn’t have his existence, let alone his true identity, getting out before he was ready.  
Deciding he had everything he needed, the aristocratic child hurried from his room to go out to the training rooms. These rooms were used by all high-ranking death eaters, as well as some of their children, so though Harry had to be careful, as long as his mask remained in place no one was suspicious of his presence.   
As soon as he entered the room, Harry grinned behind his mask. A platinum blond turned at the opening of the door and grinned as well. The two boys walked towards each other and exchanged the customary pureblood pleasantries, then they turned towards a private training room meant for duels.   
“Ready to have your arse handed to you, Malfoy?”  
“Ha! Just because you’re a prince of darkness doesn’t mean you’re gifted by the gods, Riddle.”  
“Hmm we shall see,” Harry withdrew a long black throwing knife and twirled it experimentally. He had developed his confidence and skills at an almost alarming rate since he’d been brought here two years ago. Gone was the shyly respectful boy scared of punishment at every movement. Replacing him was a true pureblood heir, the picture of perfection and elegance, just like his father.   
Indeed, Voldemort had gone so far as to blood adopt him, meaning half his blood was that of the Dark Lord, and so, though he still bore resemblance to the Potters, Harry’s appearance had changed a bit. He was tall for his age, with sharp, pale features and thick, wavy hair. His eyes and hair color were unchanged, however, and touches of James were still visible in his face.   
Drawing back his hand, Harry flicked his wrist and released the knife, thus the duel commenced.  
Curses flew thickly, blades occasionally thrown into the mix. The boys, though young, were acceptable duelers – though not yet at the level of an adult.   
Dodging a cutting curse, Harry called, “that the best you’ve got, Draco? Pathetic.”  
“I’ll show you pathetic!” Draco hurled a bone-breaking curse, quickly followed by a stunning spell at his friend.   
Harry dodged the former while unexpectedly reflected the stunner back at the caster, ending the duel.   
“Yeah, ‘pathetic’,” he muttered, enervating Draco, “C’mon Draco, let’s get a drink.”  
The boys walked from the room and towards Harry’s room. Once there, they snapped for an elf and asked for two glasses of pumpkin juice.   
“You seem to be in an exceptionally good mood today,” Draco commented.  
“Well, I’m just looking forward to getting some news this evening.”  
“Oh? Oh… OH! That’s today?”  
“Mhmm, apparently it was always planned for the week after my birthday.”  
“The Potter’s sure are in for a surprise, you sure they don’t suspect anything?”  
“No way, Bella and Lucius took care of that. The Potters received a series of letters from a “distanced Petunia” before she told them she wasn’t going to reply anymore.   
“That would’ve been kinda suspicious, though?”  
“Yeah well, “Petunia” said they would keep me until I was seven and I’m sure Dumbledore calmed them down,” Harry spat the name with venom. “Anyways, Snape’s confirmed they don’t suspect anything.”  
“Huh. Not very intelligent of them.”  
“Well, I don’t suppose they’re very intelligent,” Harry smirked and Draco snorted in laughter.  
X  
Lily was practically bouncing in excitement as she cooked breakfast while she waited for James to wake up. She placed a couple strips of bacon in the frying pan and hummed as the delicious smell of the cooking meat filled the room. Placing the steaming platter on the table and casting a preserving charm over the meal, she went to go get Leo ready for the day.  
Leo was already awake when she reached his room, and he blinked owlishly up at her from his seat on the bed.   
“Are you ready to meet your brother, Leo?” Lily beamed at him.  
“Yes! Yes! Yes!” The five-year-old began bouncing in excitement, “I’m gonna play with him and show him my room and share all my toys and-” Leo continued his list, hardly stopping to breathe.  
“Alright, sweetheart, let’s get you ready, then.”  
Lily helped him pull a Gryffindor-red shirt over his dark brown hair, and passed him a little, golden cloak. Although it was still August, she didn’t want him to get chilly because of the wind.   
“Alright, munchkin, let’s go wake up Daddy, shall we?”  
Leo giggled and dashed out of the room towards Lily and James’s bedroom.   
“Dada, Dada!” He yelled, “Get up!”  
Leo leapt up on top of the now stirring James, causing him to grunt at the impact.  
“Hey, little lion, what’re you doing?” James said while rubbing at his eyes.  
“Mama said we’re gonna meet Harry today!”  
James grinned widely and the sleepiness cleared from his eyes as he remembered that, indeed, today was the day they would collect their eldest son.  
“Well then let’s get going to breakfast, huh Leo?” James was already pulling on a set of maroon and grey robes.  
x  
Half an hour later the little family was ready to floo to Hogwarts to meet Dumbledore. James tossed a handful of floo powder into the fireplace and called out for the headmaster’s office. Lily followed, carrying Leo.  
Stepping into the Headmaster’s office, the trio took seats in the comfy armchairs in front of the desk.   
“Ah, James, Lily, Leo,” Dumbledore’s eyes twinkled as he smiled, “are we ready to collect young Harry?”  
“No, we just wanted a chat,” James said sarcastically, “sorry, sorry,” he hurried to say as Lily elbowed him.  
“Yes, headmaster, and if we could, I’d like to go now,” Lily’s tone was polite, but it was obvious she still felt some resentment towards the man for separating their family, even if it was necessary.  
“Very well, my dear,” Dumbledore extended his arm for James and Lily to grasp for apparition.   
Being the headmaster, Dumbledore had the privilege of apparition in and out of the school. With a twist, the four were off to Little Whinging.  
X  
There was an odd feeling to the neighborhood that all three adults picked up on as soon as they landed. A distinct absence of magic was notable for a street where a heavily warded house was supposed to exist.  
Moving forward apprehensively the four froze when they came up to number four.  
Rather than the near-identical house which was supposed to complete the row, an empty lot stood. A sign proclaimed it to be damaged due to fire caused by natural gas, but a very faint residue of dark magic was detectable to those who knew what to look for.  
“J-James? James? JAMES!” Lily’s scream broke the heavy silence, “WHERE’S MY BABY? HARRY-” Lily’s final word turned into a sob and she collapsed onto the sidewalk.  
“Where is he? Dumbledore? Where’s my son?” James took a step towards Dumbledore and stood threateningly close, “where did you move him?”  
“James, I didn’t, I don’t know where-”  
“Don’t LIE to me, Albus! I swear to God, tell me where my son is” James’s voice was raising in panic, and Leo was staring at him in alarm.  
“Mama? Daddy? Where’s Harry? Mama??”  
Lily was still kneeling on the pavement as though willing the house to be there when she looked up. She held out her arms for him, and Leo curled himself into her embrace, “Harry’s not here?”  
“No, baby, I don’t know where you brother is,” Lily’s voice was thick with pain.   
Dumbledore walked forward after casting a privacy and muggle repelling charms around them. He began waving his wand over the charred beams of the house laying on the ground.   
“It was magically set, and-” Dumbledore paused, “there are remnants of life magic in the rubble… people died here.”  
The distressed parents’ last hope was shattered, and they collapsed once more, clutching each other tightly.  
x  
Harry walked through the great wood doors into his father’s office.   
“Has Snape brought any news, Father?”  
“Not yet, but I expect we’ll know before supper. But don’t you have a lesson with Bella before then?”  
“Oh! Right, erm, guess I’ll be going,” Harry flashed his father a smile before disappearing the way he’d come.  
Tom sat back in his chair and allowed a shadow of a smile to spread over his features. He had not anticipated actually coming to care for the boy and enjoying his company when he took him from his “home” two years ago, but, alas, he had truly become Harry’s father.   
Harry burst through the doors of the room where Bella taught him.  
“There you are, I was about to go out and find you. I’ve been waiting for hours,” Bella whined.  
“It was not hours,” Harry rolled his eyes, “and anyways, you’re late more often than I am.”  
“Hmph, I want to start.”  
Though Bella acted childishly at times, she was the closet thing to a real mother he had, apart from Narcissa, but she was already Draco’s mum, so it didn’t count. Bella was always the one to sit with him when his father was away, and she was one of the key components in fixing the damage caused by the years of abuse at the Dursleys. She and his Father were the two most important people in his life, along with Draco, if he was in a good mood.  
“Alright, today we’re going to learn the Expulso curse,” Bellatrix grinned, “an explosive curse powerful enough to blast apart a human.”  
Harry got into dueling stance and awaited instruction on the doubtlessly dark curse.  
Bella stood next to him and pointed her wand at a dummy. “Expulso!” She yelled, and shards of blue light flew across the room before colliding with the dummy and obliterating it.   
She reformed it with a flick of her wand and gestured to Harry.  
He steadied his stance and aimed his want. “Expulso!” Paler, violet shards burst from his wand and hit the dummy, but rather than destroying it, they just left small abrasions on its surface.  
“Again, Harry!”  
And so, Harry practiced the curse until he could perform it effortlessly, and it was time for supper.  
x  
Lily picked at the chipping paint of the teacup she held. An order meeting was the last place she wanted to be, yet here she was. James placed his hand atop her own and squeezed in an effort to give comfort. In all honesty, though, both parents were too torn apart to offer much semblance of comfort.  
The day had been thoroughly draining following the tragic discovery of the morning. Lily and James had gone to Grimmauld Place where Sirius and Remus were waiting with bated breath for the return of their “nephew.” The smiles had dropped off their faces when they saw the crushed couple walk in with only one child.  
“What? Where’s Harry? Pup?” Sirius looked about as if expecting to see the seven-year-old hiding behind the draperies.   
Remus looked stricken as he asked “James? What happened?”  
At that comment, the floodgates opened, and Lily tearfully spilled the whole horrible story to the two rapidly paling men. Leo walked over to Remus and was scooped up and held protectively as Moony awoke at the news of his cub’s death.  
The four sat for hours, comforting each other and sharing a bottle of firewhiskey. At last it was time for Leo to go to bed, and Lily tucked the sad five-year-old into the spare bedroom of Sirius’s home. He did not yet understand the concept of death but was picking up all the heartbreak of the day and practically drowning in disappointment.  
Lily padded back down the stairs to prepare for the scheduled Order meeting, just as the first member arrived.  
The Longbottoms were the last to arrive, and after they had sat and cast sympathetic glances at the Potters, Dumbledore rose.   
“As you know, today was meant to be a joyous day, but we are unfortunate enough that a great tragedy has struck.”  
Around the table people turned to look towards Lily and James. The Order were the only people to know of Harry’s existence, anyone else who knew him as a baby assumed he had fallen ill and died. They had all been excited to meet the boy they would care for and guide into a powerful savior, but now their faces reflected the pain each and every member – even Snape – felt.  
“The boy had been staying with his muggle relatives, but when we went to collect him today, we discovered the house in ruins, and evidence that he had perished there.”  
Silence reigned around the table as the horrible explanation registered.   
It was a young, pink haired woman who broke the silence, “what about the prophesy, Headmaster?”  
Dumbledore turned to her, his usual twinkle absent from his blue eyes, “I do not know, Nymphadora, I do not know,” after a moment of contemplation he turned to the Longbottoms, “it is possible the prophesy will transfer to Neville.”  
Alice gasped and Frank’s face matched her shock.   
“You can’t be serious, Dumbledore!” James looked outraged, “You sentenced our baby boy to a horrid fate because of that prophesy, and now you want to subject another to the same thing?” Sirius too looked ready to attack the older man.  
“My boy, I’m sure you understand the vitality of the prophesy being fulfilled”  
James seemed to deflate, “yes, yes of course, headmaster.”  
Lily steeled herself and looked up at him, “We know it’s not your fault he- he was killed. You did everything you could.”  
Dumbledore laid a comforting hand on her shoulder in recognition before addressing the room.  
“It has been a taxing day for us all, I believe it would be prudent to adjourn the meeting here.”  
One by one the Order of the Phoenix departed until none but Sirius was left in Grimmauld Place.  
x  
Harry and his Father sat near each other at the long table in the dining room. They dined together for every meal, and both cherished the time they shared.   
“Have you heard anything, father?”  
“As a matter of fact, yes. Snape brought news of the meeting but half an hour ago.”  
Harry leaned forward in his seat, eyes wide.  
“It seems they bought the ploy easily; every member was said to leave in tears.”  
“And Snape? He doesn’t suspect anything?”  
“Not in the slightest, Snape believes he has delivered shocking news to me, that the Chosen One is dead.”  
Harry scoffed at the title, “Chosen One my a-”  
Voldemort cut him off, “Indeed, they have gone so far as to assign the role to a new person,” Voldemort paused, “Neville Longbottom.”  
Harry began to laugh quietly at that, and the two continued their dinner, their pseudo-family complete and happy.  
Never were two images as different as the Riddle family from the Potter family that night.  
x  
AN: Hi! I hope you liked this chapter! There will only be one more time jump, and then the background stuff will be done :). Please leave me a review, I love to read them! Also feel free to PM me with any questions! I’ll try to post a new chapter every week or two, depending on how school is going.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I, unfortunately, do not own Harry Potter.  
X  
Harry trailed his fingers along the cold marble wall as he walked down the darkened corridor. A thin snake curled itself around his upper arm, relishing his body heat.  
“Where are we going, master?” the snake hissed.  
“Father has called me to a meeting,” Harry replied in parseltongue, “I believe he has another mission for me.”  
Harry had been able to talk to snakes since his blood adoption when he was five. Now, ten years later, some of his favorite companions were his father’s snake, Nagini, and now Arsinoe, whom he had received for his 15th birthday.  
The walnut doors of the reception room opened smoothly as the dark-haired boy entered with practiced grace. Harry crossed the room to where his father stood and raised his eyes to meet crimson. Lord Voldemort’s son was the only person not required to bow before him, as he was seen almost as an equal.   
“Father,” came the respectful greeting.  
“Harry,” the charming man nodded in reply.  
Harry glanced around the grandiose room before returning his gaze to his father, “I assume you have an assignment for me?”  
“Your assumption is not incorrect, I have need of an order member to be eliminated.”  
Harry’s green eyes sparked with interest before his hard-earned occlumency shields slid into place.  
“Who’s the target?”  
“A man named Benji Fenwick. Here are the coordinates,” Riddle passed a piece of parchment covered in the distinct handwriting of Albus Dumbledore. “Fidelius charm, Dumbledore’s the secret keeper. Lucius went through great lengths to acquire this.”  
“Hmmm pretty important guy, huh?”  
“Obviously,” Tom drawled in a manner befitting his ancestry, “Honestly one would think you didn’t receive 15 years of intense tutoring.”  
Harry rolled his eyes before scanning the parchment in his hand then flexed his fingers, effectively singeing the paper with a burst of wandless flame. “Any specific requirements?”  
“Best to refrain from the unforgivable – any dark spell, really – no need to alert the aurors prematurely.”  
Harry hummed in agreement before turning to go gather his weapons and dueling robes.   
Harry had been completing assassinations for his father since he turned 14, never once failing, except on one or two occasions. Contrasting what the “light” spread as propaganda, Harry’s father never killed without good reason, and never intentionally harmed children. Magical children especially were meant to be cherished – it was a waste of magic to murder a child before they’d had a chance to come into their majority, and so the dark refrained from doing so.  
As he strapped on his multiple belts and holsters for knives and other weapons, Harry went over his plan of action. He had been completing more and more order member assassinations over the past few weeks – his father must be planning something which required a dismantled order - and had a pretty good idea of what the most efficient course of action would be.  
Striding out the front doors, mask firmly in place and black cloak swishing around him, Harry disapparated to the location his father had given him.  
X  
The cottage in front of which the green-eyed assassin landed was cozy and peaceful, any inhabitants sleeping soundly within. Harry crept up to the front door and cast a soundless alohomora.   
Entering the foyer, the boy glanced around and reached out with his magic to sense any magical signatures. Feeling one on the upper floor, Harry slipped silently up to the door which he knew now to be the bedroom. Steeling himself for the attack, Harry opened the door, causing the alarm to sound and the figure in the bed to bolt upright.  
Harry was not shocked in the least at the blaring sound that accompanied his entrance into the room; this type of alarm was common among order members who were at risk of attack.   
Benji Fenwick bolted upright in bed at the sound of his alarm, and was terrified to see a dark, masked figure at the door to his room. His auror training kicking in; Benji drew his wand and leapt from the bed to face his adversary.   
The death eater in front of him appeared younger than most, yet the mask on his face obscured any defining features. The wizard had a wand in his hand, but otherwise no apparent weapons. The auror made these observations in a split second, before the masked figure raised his arm and shot a blinding yellow spell at his chest.   
Benji leapt out of the way and shot back two stunning spells. The boy blocked both red lights with a flick of his wand and returned with a stunner of his own.   
This was rather odd, the boy used no unforgivables, despite those dark spells being favorites of the death eaters. How was he planning on killing him without the killing curse?  
Harry saw his opponent pause for a fraction of a second and knew this was his chance. Withdrawing a slim, curved throwing knife, the assassin threw it with precision, straight towards the man’s neck.   
Benji started as he detected the projectile heading towards him and tried to move at the last second. Unfortunately, he was not quite quick enough, and the blade sliced into the side of his neck. His vision went white for a moment and Fenwick fell to his knees.   
A set of dragonhide boots stepped into his line of vision and a voice broke through his consciousness.  
“You’ll find that no matter how many precautions you and your order try to take, my father and I will always outsmart you.”  
Just as the shock of the boy’s words registered with the auror, two words were hissed, and a green spell ended Benji Fenwick’s life.  
Harry knew that his use of the unforgivable had alerted the ministry, but that was alright. He wanted them to find the body, just not before he was thoroughly dead. The raven-haired boy knew he had only seconds before aurors would be swarming the scene, so he gracefully jumped from the window, darted past the apparition wards, and disapparated away; his objective complete.  
X  
James apparated to the site of the unforgivable with a small team of aurors, including Sirius and Tonks. He narrowed his eyes at the absence of the customary dark mark and prayed it meant Benji wasn’t dead. Giving the signal to his partners, James crept up to the house and through the open door.   
The house was silent, with no evidence of a battle, but that didn’t mean it was safe. Practicing excess caution, the three aurors climbed the stairs to the bedroom, where they knew their comrade was most likely to be.  
James’s heart sank as he peered into the room and saw the body on the floor. Doing a quick scan for anyone else in the room, he rushed to the fallen man’s side.   
Pressing his fingertips to Benji’s neck, James muttered, “C’mon Benji, please be alive please please please.”  
At last James had to admit that the man was unrevivable and sat back on his heels, looking sorrowfully at the other aurors.   
Tonks looked sad but unsurprised and went to begin assessing the room for the official write up and to contact the people to come collect the body.  
Sirius, however, was furious, exclaiming, “this is the fourth attack in three months! Why is this happening? What does Voldemort want with these order members? They’re not even high ranking!”  
“I know, I know. It hardly makes sense, but there surely is a reason. I mean, whoever’s doing this is obviously skilled.”  
“That just makes it worse! None of the known death eaters fight like this, without dark curses or anything. And no dark mark! What’s up with that?”  
“I don’t know, Padfoot. We’re gonna have to talk to Dumbledore anyways, I’m sure he’ll have an idea.”  
X  
Dumbledore did, indeed, have an answer as to the odd nature of the assassinations. At the order meeting the following week, he stood and addressed the concerns of the group.  
“It is my belief, after much deliberation over the strange conditions of these attacks, that the attacker is Voldemort’s personal assassin,” ignoring the gasps at the name, he continued, “and that this person may not be a death eater.”  
Every person around the table wore matching looks of shock, also worn on the four faces outside the door.  
“Personal assassin!” Leo gasped, “like a trained guy just for killing order members?”  
“And anyone else you-know-who wants dead,” Fred confirmed.  
“Probably wicked with curses,” George breathed.  
Ron looked decidedly pale and gnawed on his fingernail with concern for the order members, especially his parents.   
Inside the room, Lily spoke, “we need to find out who this assassin is and stop him.”  
James nodded in agreement, but said, “that’s gonna be hard, though. I mean, this guy’s killed over 7 trained aurors without being so much as seen.”  
“We’ll have to monitor potential targets closely and be prepared to act at a moment’s notice,” Remus stated, to the agreement of the rest of the adults.  
“We’ve just gotta catch the bastard before he has a chance to empty another chair,” Moody growled.  
“And we shall,” consoled Dumbledore, “and we shall.”  
x  
Harry lounged on the leather couch in his father’s study while Voldemort laid out plans for an upcoming raid. Lazily flipping through pages of a dark arts book, the emerald-eyed boy’s eyes caught on a paragraph describing an infamous dark Animagus.   
“Hey, that actually would be pretty useful,” Harry murmured.  
“Hmm? Full sentences, Harry. You have better control over the language than that.”  
Rolling his eyes, Harry elaborated, “Becoming an Animagus, it’d be really useful for spying and missions and stuff.”  
“Mmm, only if you had a useful form,” after a teasing look Voldemort added, “a lion would do us no good.”  
Harry’s face colored and he indignantly said, “I would not be a lion. I’m a direct descendent of Slytherin himself, not to mention a parselmouth.”  
“I don’t know, you are rather Gryffindorian at times.”  
Harry turned away, a childish pout on his face, before sitting upright, “Regardless, is it possible for me to learn? For someone to teach me, I mean?”  
“I suppose that can be arranged. Now please, I must finish these plans, so either help or get out.”  
The boy got up and strode over to the large walnut desk. Peering at the maps and tactic sheets, Harry wracked his brain for an efficient way to achieve their goal – take control of an influential wizarding town near London.   
“The only order member actually living in this town is Hestia Jones?”  
Voldemort nodded and Harry regarded the list of order procedures and members again.  
“Well, if we could take her out before the raid, without the order knowing, no one would be there to alert them as quickly as she could. That’d give our men a significant head start.”  
“Yes, I had thought of that, but she is very important in the order, I’m not sure you could get to her.”  
Harry looked offended, “Have I ever failed you, Father?”  
“No, of course not, and I would prefer to keep it that way. I am not interested in assigning you an impossible task.”  
“It may be our only choice.”  
“And if you are unsuccessful? You are irreplaceable, Harry.”  
“I’ll be successful. And you can station men at the edge of town as backup if it makes you feel better.”  
“I shall consider it. Now go, you’ll find a collection of books on animagery in the small library if you’re interested.”  
“Alright, thanks Father,” Harry flashed the handsome man a smile as he exited the study.   
X  
Leo sat in the upstairs bedroom of Grimmauld Place with his best friends, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, and Ginny Weasley. Hermione was staying with them for the last two weeks of summer, as she did every year.   
“An assassin? That’s awful!” Hermione looked horrified at the news.  
“No kidding, an assassin for-”  
“You-know-who-”  
“Is not a good thing,” the twins said.  
Ron rolled his eyes, “No really? We all thought it was great news.”  
“No need to be so sour, Ronnikins,” the twins said in unison.  
“What’s the order doing about it?” Hermione asked, “Surely Professor Dumbledore’s got an idea.”  
“Of course he does, he’s the greatest wizard of all time, next to Merlin,” Leo exclaimed.  
“They’re trying to capture the assassin,” Ginny explained, “they’re monitoring all the potential next targets.”  
“Hmm, I wonder who it’s gonna be,” Fred turned to his twin.  
“Moody? He’s pretty important.”  
“Or Remus?”  
“Or just go straight for the big man himself – Dumbledore!” George exclaimed.  
“Stop being so ridiculous. No one in their right mind would target Dumbledore without the entire wizarding population behind them,” Hermione said.  
Leo had stopped listening to the conversation after Fred and George started listing off targets, his thoughts turning to his parents, and the possibility that they might be the next victims. Death eaters had already targeted their family once, resulting in the still-painful loss of the big brother he never got to meet. What was to stop them from doing it again? The hazel-eyed boy didn’t think he could handle another such heartbreak, and neither could either of his parents.   
“Leo? Leo? Leo!” Ron shook his arm, “mum called us down for dinner, let’s go.”  
As the two boys walked down the stairs, the other four having gone on ahead, Ron said, “What were you thinking about?”  
“I uhh, not much. Why?”  
“You were pretty out of it, mate.”  
“Oh, um, guess I was just thinking about who the assassin could be.”  
Ron nodded, “mhmm, it’s a puzzle.”  
With that, the boys sat down to a delicious dinner prepared by Mrs. Weasley and Lily, thoughts of the mysterious killer all but flying from their heads.  
X  
A pair of long legs was kicked over the back of an elegant leather sofa in the luxurious north-wing bedroom of Riddle Manor. A moment later the door opened, and a second pair of legs joined the first.  
“Whatcha reading?”  
Closing the book, Harry turned to face his blond friend, “animagery book. It’d be useful in the future.”  
“Mhmm I’ve been wanting to become an Animagus, too,” Draco said.  
One elegant eyebrow was raised, “Who’s training you?”  
“Probably father, or maybe Rab.”  
“Just be careful Bella doesn’t help, you might end up half animal forever,” Harry smirked.  
“Shut it, you prat,” Draco grinned, “chess?”  
Nodding, Harry rolled from the couch to gather up the wizard chess set from the shelf. The two boys had been playing chess together since they were old enough to learn how. Lucius said it was useful for learning strategy, but Harry thought it was really an insurance that he and Draco would be friends. It was a clever plan, to be fair. After all, it had worked.  
“So, going back to Hogwarts in two weeks?”  
“Yeah, only three more years, then I can join the death eaters full time.”  
“Make the most of it, get some info on Dumbledore, you know.”  
“Ugh yeah, I hate the idea of watching that old man, he’s really ridiculous.”  
“It’s all a farse though, he’s a powerful adversary. I’m not looking forward to our eventual encounters.”  
“Oooh the all-mighty Dark Prince can’t take on an old man?”  
“Pfft. I’d like to see you try to do what I do.”  
“Hmmmmm training with the Dark Lord? Yeah no thanks, I’ll stick to Hogwarts tutors.”  
“That’s what I thought,” Harry shifted his rook into a better position to cover Draco’s queen.  
The two played for a while in silence, their games always went on for ages; they were formidable chess players.  
Finally, Draco spoke again, “What about you? Any big plans for the school year?”  
Harry hesitated, “I really can’t say, but I think so. Father’s been having me take out higher and higher positions of aurors and order members.”  
“Maybe it’s almost time to reveal our true strengths. It’s been years, the light’s in a real sense of security.”  
“Mmmm all part of the plan, I guess. Let them think we’re spontaneous, unorganized; then reveal the power at the right moment,” Harry glanced up at his friend then back at the board, “Rules of war and all that. Checkmate.”  
x  
Lily stood in the kitchen of Godric’s Hallow, watching her son and his friends playing a round of exploding snap. She imagined her first baby sitting there with them, playing a board game with his friends. Her eyes hardened. He would never get that chance because of one evil man who’s only interest was ruining everyone else’s lives.  
Lily and James had vowed that day eight years ago that they would not stop at anything before they had made the world safe and happy for their remaining child and avenged their angel.   
Sirius and Remus still came over nearly every day, and the four of them were each other’s strength in the worst times. They all mourned Harry every day but helped each other through it for Leo’s sake. Now, two years shy of a decade later, the wounds had still not healed, but were mercifully less fresh than they had been.  
Feeling two arms encircle her waist, Lily spun and peered up at her husband, “Hi.”  
“Hi,” He returned.   
James and the rest of the order had been on edge since the meeting days ago. Each member was walking in eggshells, ready to spring into action at the smallest twitch of the security orbs around their necks.  
“Ready for dinner? I made a baked chicken.”  
“Mmm absolutely. Thank you, darling.”  
Lily beamed and slipped from his embrace to go get the food onto the table.  
Just as she was stepping back from the bowl of steaming potatoes, she felt a twitch at her neck. Glancing down she started as her eyes registered the orb on the chain glowing brightly.  
She was already rushing to the living room when James yelled at her to stay in the house; he would be back soon.   
Lily said a quick prayer that he would return in one piece.  
X  
Today was the day. Harry had been preparing for days, and finally his father had given the order for him to take out Hestia Jones. This would mark the next stage of their rising, and he would not fail.  
Apparating to his destination, Harry cast a quick disillusionment charm and slipped silently though the protection wards.   
Harry’s extensive lessons had prepared him for any situation: He was excellent a breaking through wards undetected, marvelous at hand-to-hand combat, and a master at stealth. Still, all his training hadn’t prepared him for this particular night’s events.  
The mission was very similar to the one the earlier that month; he slipped through the door and felt for magical signatures, but as he set off the usual warnings he was taken aback to feel a new spell coursing through the air.  
No. no no no. Had they updated the security systems unbeknownst to the dark? This could not be happening, not on tonight’s mission.  
Harry was broken from his panic by a sound downstairs and knew he had to act fast.  
Deciding to disable the target first, the masked boy pivoted to the woman now standing by her bed, wand pointed at his heart.  
“D-don’t move,” she stuttered.  
“Right. Well, that won’t do,” Harry sent a petrifying curse faster than she could blink.  
Jones incapacitated for the moment, Harry leapt into action and hurried out of the room towards the sound of people coming from the entry way.  
Harry would rather have killed Jones first, but he was guessing it was the order who had come, and that they hadn’t yet alerted the ministry, and he wasn’t about to do it for them by casting the killing curse. So, he needed to get rid of the rescuers before he could complete his assignment.  
“Stop right there!” someone had spotted him moving in the shadows, “You’re outnumbered and have half a dozen wands pointed at you!”  
Harry recognized the voice as the grizzled auror and order member, Mad-Eye Moody. Slowly, he turned to the voice, wandlessly opening the latches holding his blades in place.  
“Place your hands over your head and drop your wand. Now!”  
“I’d rather not,” Harry was glad his voice came out sounding calmer than he felt.  
Moody hesitated, the wizard sounded young – perhaps only a teen. Nevertheless, he was dangerous, “I won’t ask again, boy. Drop. Your. Wand!”  
James, standing in the back with four other aurors froze at the address. ‘Boy’? The death eater had sounded young, but were they really about to do battle with a person young enough to be called ‘boy’? James didn’t like the sound of that.   
The dark-haired auror was broken from his reverie at the sound of a spell being cast; the battle had truly begun.   
Harry flung a disarming spell at his assailant, more as a distraction while he procured his knives than anything else. Then, knowing he had precious little time to get to a better fighting turf, he sprinted out the door and into the yard.  
The sound of six aurors followed him into the night, and Harry knew this battle would be a struggle to win.  
One of the aurors, perhaps Black, cast a Lumos maxima into the air, lighting up the battle ground. Now there were no shadows for Harry to disguise himself in; he was truly on his own until he could alert the death eaters.  
Harry knew there were a dozen or so men on the outskirts of the town, but they would do nothing unless they got a magical signal, and Harry was not in a position currently to cast anything so time consuming or complex.  
Deciding to take out the biggest threats first, Harry focused in on Moody.   
“Confringo!” The blasting curse was blocked by the older wizard, who returned with a stunning spell.  
Knowing that the other five aurors too were ready to attack, Harry wandlessly thrust his hand in their direction, silently casting ‘immobulous’ and ‘impedimenta’ jinxes.   
Two of the younger order members were incapacitated for the time being by the spells, and the other three rushed to their aid, making sure that whatever Harry had silently cast was not lethal.   
In that time, Harry and Moody exchanged more spell-fire, and Harry could see he would not win by spellwork. So, he drew his first blade, hurling it with precision at Moody. The auror, caught unawares, cast a spell meant to stop curses, which the magically enhanced blade cut through, slicing through the auror’s arm. Crying out, he grasped his arm, putting him in a vulnerable position for just long enough for Harry to cast a ‘stupefy’.  
One opponent taken care of, Harry swiveled to where the other five were grouped, reversing the spells cast mere seconds ago. “Incendio!”  
The fireball was stopped by a hastily cast “largus,” as the four revived aurors turned from their still-unconscious comrade.   
“Insideo!” Harry dodged the anti-apparition jinx – he needed to leave as soon as possible; assassination be damned.   
“Stupefy, expelliarmus!”   
“Confingo!”  
“Relashio,” no. the spell hit its target, releasing the mask from Harry’s face. He summoned it back, but it was too late - the only person who mattered had seen him.   
Harry made use of the frozen shock of the moment and sprinted to the edge of the apparition wards, ready to leave.  
James was in a state of utter and complete horrified shock, “H-Harry?”  
But the boy was gone, twisting into thin air, leaving only cold, empty night behind.  
x   
AN: Hi!! Thanks for reading the chapter, I hope you enjoyed it! Now the fun begins :) . Please leave me a review and let me know what you think. Also, PM me with any questions!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I did not write Harry Potter, and thus do not own it  
X  
Panic and rage consumed Harry as his feet landed at the door to Riddle Manor. He had seen his face. James Potter had recognized him. All his father’s work and careful planning gone to hell. Dammit!  
Harry stormed his way into his Voldemort’s study, color high with panic.  
“Harry?” concern was evident in the man’s voice.  
“He saw me, without my mask,” Harry raised his head, “Potter recognized me. He knows who I am! The whole order knows by now! Probably already in the prophet-”  
“Slow down, slow down. How did this happen?”  
“Someone cast a relashio at my mask, it fell for a couple seconds, but Potter was staring straight at me. I heard him call out as I disapparated. He definitely knows who I am.”  
“Alright, this situation, though not ideal, is manageable… if we keep our wits about us.”  
Something in his father’s calm demeanor in what Harry viewed as a tragedy calmed him as well. Nodding, Harry settled down to discuss the plan of action.   
“This can be used to our advantage, perhaps.”  
Harry’s eyebrow rose, “oh?”  
“Indeed. The order will no doubt try to capture you and revert you to the “light” side. This would present us with a unique opportunity.”  
“But surely I’m of more use here?”  
“Of course, but we must acknowledge that should you be captured, it can be used to our advantage.”  
Harry nodded, looking thoughtful, “I wouldn’t be in danger because no one in the order would want to harm the Potter’s ‘son’.”  
“Precisely, and you’d be in a perfect position to gain intel on the Order of the Phoenix as well as Dumbledore himself.”  
“It’d be an opportunity to get that much closer to ending the old man once and for all.”  
“But only as a last resort,” Voldemort cautioned, “there are too many uncertainties in such a plan. We must simply be prepared for the event that you are held hostage by the order.”  
“In other words, more training,” Harry muttered with a grimace.  
Voldemort only smirked in response.  
X  
James’s world was crashing down around him. He knew, was certain that the boy he had seen for a split second was Harry. His Harry. Who was also dead.  
How was this possible? Harry was declared dead almost a decade ago, killed on Voldemort’s orders. There was no question, no dispute; his baby was dead. So what was this? Some cruel trick of Voldemort’s, meant to throw him off guard and distract him? That had to be it. But then why did the assassin look so panicked that his face had been revealed? Why had he disapparated so fast if it was all a trick and he was meant to be seen? James’s head ached with confusion and shock.  
A hand touched his shoulder hesitantly, “James? Was- was that who I think it was?”  
The dark-haired auror nodded silently. Sirius’s hand tightened on his shoulder, “But how-”  
Moody cut him off, “Nothing is confirmed yet. This was most likely a trick meant to cause us to be distracted. There’s probably dozens of death eaters coming this way as we speak, ready to finish the job the imposter left behind,” the magical eye spun wildly, “We should leave immediately.”  
“But what about Jones?” One of the younger recruits looked concerned.  
Moody waved him towards the house to revive the young auror, giving orders for him to portkey to headquarters with her. A moment later, the scene was deserted, and the five men appeared in Grimmauld Place.  
James lowered himself onto the couch, eyes unfocused and thoughts racing. He needed answers; though he already knew the truth, he could feel the certainty in the back of his mind. There was no mistake, that was Harry.  
“Dumbledore! Dumbledore!” Sirius was calling out as he searched the house for the old wizard, “We’ve had an important development!”  
“What is it, my boy?” the headmaster strolled into the room.  
“We-”  
“There’s been an event – likely a trick, mind you – which has unsettled us all. The assassin was unmasked and appeared to be the late Harry Potter,” Moody cut across Sirius.  
James’s head snapped up at the mention of his son, never failing to get his attention, “It was him. I’m sure of it. That was my son.”  
“Potter! I know you want that to be true but statistically-”  
“That’s enough, Alastor. Let’s not choke this precious hope before anything’s been confirmed. This could change everything, were it true,” Albus looked pensive, “Now, tell me every detail.”  
“Why not just show you,” James murmured, already pointing his wand at his temple to extract the memory.  
X  
It was late, but Lily had not yet gone up to bed. She never did when James was out on a mission, and tonight was no exception. She fiddled with the tie of her night robe and waited for the floo to flare emerald as her eyes, her husband stepping through safe and sound.   
Lily jumped as the floo did just as she wished, and jumped up when not James, but Sirius stepped into the living room.   
“Lily, you should come to headquarters – yes, yes, James is fine, but this is really important,” Sirius cut her off before she could voice her worries.   
Lily was already pulling on her cloak and moving towards the floo powder.   
“What’s going on?”  
“I – uhhh – we’ll tell you everything there.”  
Lily looked even more concerned and wasted no time in tossing her handful of green powder into the hearth, being swept away to Grimmauld Place.  
The formal sitting room into which she was deposited had a tense air and was chokingly silent. A projection was cast upon the far wall, originating from the pensive in the center of the room.   
Lily walked swiftly towards her husband and looked into his stricken face, “James? Love, what’s going on?”  
“Lily, oh Lily. I think he’s alive. Our baby Lily.”  
The redhead stumbled back, only to be steadied by Remus’s hand on her back.   
“H-Harry? But how? No. No. I don’t believe it. James, what are you saying?” Lily’s voice rose in pitch with every word, hysteria becoming clear in her strained tone.   
“Let us watch the memory, then we can discuss the plausibility of the situation,” Dumbledore’s calm voice effectively cut through the near panic of the situation.  
Remus tapped the pensive with his wand, prompting the projection to being to move. The figures on the wall commenced battle, and at the moment the relashio curse was uttered, Remus paused the memory again.  
Thick silence permeated the room as each occupant stared in disbelief at the young face, now unmasked, which stared in fury back at them.  
The boy’s appearance was unnerving; not only was he snarling with a fury unmatched except for the man for whom he worked, but the resemblance to two of the room’s occupants was uncanny. A resemblance only one who knew the pair intimately, or indeed was blood related, could imitate. It wasn’t just the looks, though those were unnerving alone, but the way in which the boy’s eyes shone with intelligence, the curve of his mouth in anger, the posture of his body, it all was echoed perfectly in James and Lily Potter.  
“If this is an imitation, it’s a damn good one,” Moody muttered.  
Remus and Sirius stared at the boy, feeling as though they were flung into an abyss. Their cub, their pup. Alive.   
And on Voldemort’s side.  
Remus released a low growl, the wolf within instinctually wanting to go and fight to retrieve his cub. The snarl on Sirius’s face, likewise, was reminiscent of the expression of a dog preparing to rip into flesh.   
Lily’s face, though, was a storm of emotions. Despair and hope fought in her eyes, and her shock was reflected in her slack mouth and fists. Her child. Her little, innocent baby boy. Alive. Alive and on the dark side. Alive and a murderer. Alive but dead if he was ever caught. Alive.  
Dumbledore turned to the couple, “I’m assuming that my observations are correct in that this is, indeed, Harry?”  
James nodded mutely, unable to tear his gaze away from his son’s image.  
“What do we need to do?” Sirius looked prepared to spring into action at the first order from Dumbledore.   
“Don’t be naïve, Black. We need a solid plan of action. The boy’s a trained murderer, and surely won’t come easily,” Moody was back to being all-business after his brief moment of surprise.  
“Surely he’s under the imperious curse, though,” Remus stated, “He wouldn’t do this willingly.”  
“That remains to be seen. Regardless, a plan of attack is necessary. We will bring young Harry back to the light, of that I am certain,” Dumbledore said with finality.  
X  
The early morning sunlight streamed through Harry’s window, awakening him on the first of September. He stretched before climbing out of bed and heading to the en suite to shower.   
Harry pulled on dark grey and green robes before carefully removing Arsinoe from where she slept and letting her coil around his neck and upper arm. Today would be his first day of his new training regime, designed to prepare him for possible capture and, as an extension, the downfall of the Order.   
Harry’s last two weeks had been filled with training alongside his best friend Draco. They always spent extra time together at the end of August to make up for the 4 months they would go without seeing each other before Christmas.  
Now, though, Draco was on the train to Hogwarts, and it was time for Harry to get to work. He had reached an age that he was responsible for a great many things involved in his father’s growing empire, and it was time he stopped ‘shirking his duties,’ according to his father.   
This meant Harry had to get down to breakfast and start his day, so he glanced once more in the mirror and stepped purposefully from the room.  
Breakfast at Riddle Manor was always a sumptuous and luxurious meal, with fresh fruit, meats, and a variety of breakfast tarts. Harry and Voldemort always took meals together, and breakfast was their designated time to discuss they day’s tasks.  
Sliding into his seat at the walnut table, Harry selected a plate filled with healthy portions of eggs, sausage, and fruit. He looked up at his father, sipping at his coffee.  
“Morning, Father.”  
“Good morning, Harry. Are you prepared for today’s new schedule?”  
“Of course. What is planned?”  
“I expect you to spend time in the large library, researching the Order and all its inner workings. You’ll need to know precisely how everything works if you are to gain any useful information should you be captured.”  
Harry nodded and considered his mental list of tasks, “I suppose we could do a couple hours in the private dueling hall later in the evening to brush up on wandless magic. We don’t want them rendering me helpless without my wand.”  
“Just so. I’ll see you there at eight. Now, I have a gift for you.”  
Harry’s eyes snapped up to meet his father’s crimson. Gifts from Lord Voldemort were a rare and precious thing. The last gift he had received from his father had been the snake now coiled around his neck, and she was the best thing in his life, apart from his father.   
Tom Riddle passed a box toward his son; it was tastefully wrapped in silver wrappings and was about the size of a matchbox.   
Harry wasted no time in unwrapping the gift, which revealed itself to be a translucent emerald orb, held in place with a coiled serpent attaching it to an elegant silver chain. It was beautiful, and Harry could practically taste the magic emanating from it.  
“It is an oculos alius scriptor. It will allow me to see through your eyes for a period of time, though it is extremely draining to use, so I will not be able to use it for more than a short period of time or two each day.”  
“So, you’ll be able to see what I see?”  
“And experience what you experience, to an extent. It allows the one mentally connected to it to sense the wearer’s strong emotions.”  
“This- this is wonderful! Thank you, father,” Harry held the necklace reverently.  
“I have imbued it with charms that allow it to never be broken or removed by any but you.”  
Harry grinned and slipped the chain over his head, resting the orb near his heart, before tucking it beneath his robes. He knew that this orb would be his key to passing information to his father if he was captured, or alerting him at the moment of his capture. Plus, it would be comforting to know that his father was still mentally there, even if Harry didn’t know it.  
“Now, you have a full schedule, and I do not expect you to fail to accomplish every task. Go.”  
“Yes, father,” Harry flashed a grin before leaving the dining room with an extra spring in his step.  
X  
Lily woke to the sounds of her son downstairs, presumably getting his breakfast. Today was September 1st, meaning that it was the family’s last day at home until Christmas.   
Lily had taken up the Potions position four years ago, when Severus had convinced the headmaster to allow him the DADA position, and now every school year she, James, and Leo went to live at Hogwarts.  
This year, however, Lily was less excited for the school year to start. The past two weeks had been full of planning for the mission which would bring her baby, Harry, home, but that would be significantly hindered when she was focused on her teaching responsibilities.   
The current plan was set to begin in about a month, giving the Order time to prepare, as well as James and Lily the ability to ready their home for the eventual reintroduction of Harry – an event which was supposed to happen eight years ago.   
Lily and James, for the next month at least, would be making continual trips back here and to Grimmauld Place in order to prepare a space which was both welcoming and secure for their son. After they had him, they would need to assess his loyalties – indeed, if he was under the imperious curse – and decide on the safest course of action for everyone involved. Harry must be brought back to the right side, and this must be accomplished without him or Voldemort’s men harming any of their friends or families.   
Lily rose from her bed and, pulling on a robe, walked around to the other side of the bed to wake James.  
An hour later, everyone in the family was fed and ready to make the trip to King’s Cross.   
“You have everything, Leo?”  
“Yeeessss, Mum,” the hazel-eyed boy whined, obviously antsy to get going and see his friends – never mind that he had seen them only days ago.  
Leo did not yet know the news of his brother. James and Lily had decided that it was better to wait until they had succeeded in capturing him before raising Leo’s hopes.   
The family of three stepped outside to apparate to an alley near the station. Leo clasped his hands with his mother and father and with a twist, the three were gone.   
King’s Cross was as crowded as it was every September 1st, with children, owls, and disheveled parents hurrying towards platforms 9 and 10.  
Hurrying through the wall, the three Potters arrived in front of the scarlet train. Leo immediately started searching for the Weasleys and Hermione, and once he spotted them he took off in their direction.   
“Ready for another year at Hogwarts?”  
“You bet!”  
“We’ve got loads of plans for our joke shop, you’ll never imagine!”  
“Hush, Freddy, don’t spill our secrets now.”  
“Certainly not, brother mine.”  
Ginny rolled her eyes, “Shut it, you two, you’ll be lucky if mom doesn’t confiscate all that stuff before you even get on the train.”  
“We can’t have that, come, Georgie, let us find a compartment.”  
“Ah, of course, ladies first,” George waved his arm in a flamboyant circle towards the train.  
With that, the twins were off to the other end of the platform, leaving Ginny, Hermione, Ron, and Leo near the Weasley and Potter parents.  
The clock on the station wall struck five minutes to eleven, and the foursome started towards the red locomotive, knowing they had to get on early if they wanted a good compartment.   
James and Lily, too, said their farewells to the Weasleys and headed towards the teacher’s car. James offered a hand to Lily to climb into the car before following her into the nearest empty compartment and casting privacy wards on the door.  
“And so, another Hogwarts adventure begins.”  
“Too bad I’m not around enough anymore to wreak havoc with my fellow marauders.”   
Lily smirked, “Please, you were the biggest dorks in school.”  
James flushed, “Those are mighty strong words for a potions professor.”  
Lily laughed lightly and leaned against her husband, “I guess we were a match made in heaven.”  
James chuckled and wrapped an arm around his red-headed wife, “Yes we were.”  
A moment of silence passed before Lily turned her head to look up at James, her playful expression replaced with one of seriousness.  
“I missed the last order meeting because of my lesson planning, did you make any new plans regarding H-Harry?” Lily’s voice still broke every time she used her son’s name; the pain of his loss seemed to have increased with the news he had been alive this whole time.  
“We’re starting on the 20th of October. We decided it would be best to lure him into a situation where it’s just him against us, after all, that’s how we almost got him last time.”  
“But he’s not likely to make that same mistake twice.”  
“True, but we think we can force it,” James glanced towards the door before continuing, “We know that Harry is You-Know-Who’s go-to assassin, and Snape told us that he always works alone, so if we offer a good enough target, he’ll probably come.”  
“But who would he risk capture for? He surely knows that we’re looking for him.”  
James looked at her seriously, “You-Know-Who obviously doesn’t want Harry returned to his rightful family, and who’s the person most likely to do just that?”  
“James, you can’t mean-”  
“If You-Know-Who thinks I can be taken out, we’re certain he’d jump at the opportunity. Especially since it’d be my own son sent to kill me,” James kept going, not giving Lily a chance to object, “They will think I’m an easy target, with aurors busy at Hogwarts, doing the beginning of the year updates to the wards, and you and Leo will be safe, nowhere near the house or the attack.”  
“I don’t like this plan at all. So many things can go wrong.”  
“There’s no need to worry, Love, I’ll have tons of auror backup, and the certainty that the blood wards will only allow Harry into the house. No one else can get in unless you or I have approved them.”  
Lily looked torn. She knew that this was a terribly dangerous mission, but at the same time it could well be the only chance to get Harry back.   
Her eyes hardened as she made a decision, “If you die, I swear, James, I’ll kill you.”  
James pulled her close once more, a ghost of a smile crossing his face, “We’ll be a whole family in less than a month. You’ll see, Lils.”  
X  
Harry faced his father in the large private dueling hall of Riddle Manor. Both their wands had been deposited in the corner of the room – this would be a battle of wandless spells only.   
The two Riddle men bowed to each other before taking battle stances.   
The next moment spells were flying faster than any observer could keep track of; yellow, blue, and red mingled into a spectrum of colors, and icy-blue shields were thrown up and taken down faster than one could blink.  
Harry dodged a bone-splitting curse and combatted a fire spell with an icy blast. Spitting out a series of parseltongue words, an army of small, venomous serpents swarmed towards the Dark Lord, only to be turned to dust within moments.  
“Parseltongue spells hold no advantage over another speaker, boy,” Voldemort teased.  
Rolling his eyes, Harry didn’t respond, being too preoccupied with dodging a cutting curse flung at him from an angle.   
Another several minutes passed before Harry was caught off-guard with simultaneous langlock and binding curses, effectively immobilizing him and his defenses.   
“An excellent duel, son,” Voldemort congratulated, freeing Harry from his binds.   
Harry smiled and took his father’s offered hand, rising from his spot on the floor. The two then walked towards the dining room, ready for the lavish dinner prepared by the manor’s elves.   
X  
The Great Hall was filled with students and teachers watching the sorting of this year’s firsties. Virtually the only students not paying attention were sitting towards the back of the Gryffindor table.   
“So what do you think they’re planning? The order, I mean, they’ve been having twice as many meetings and are even more secretive than usual,” Leo looked towards the head table before turning back to his friends.   
“Probably something to do with this assassin guy,” Ginny speculated.  
Ron shuddered, “I just hope they get it figured out soon, I hate the thought of a guy like that just out there.”  
“Awww don’t worry, Ronniekins, we’ll check under your bed tonight,”  
“I’m sure there’s no monstrous assassin waiting to get ‘cha,” Fred and George teased.  
“Shut up, you two, you know what I mean.”  
“Of course they do, Ron. We’re all worried about this man. He could be really dangerous!” Hermione nervously picked at her nails.  
“The order’ll get ‘im, though. They’re the best,” Leo said.  
The cluster of friends quieted as they noticed the rest of the hall, too, had ceased their chatter.  
“Ahem, Ladies and Gentlemen, that concludes our sorting! Now, a few announcements!” Dumbledore had risen from his seat at the head table.  
“You will of course be familiar with the aurors who will be about, updating the wards now that we are all settled into the castle for the year. Also, I feel the need to remind you all that the forbidden aspect of the Forbidden Forest is not simply a suggestion, and neither is the list of banned objects posted to Filch’s door,” the headmaster’s eyes flickered to Fred and George, “Finally, I’m afraid all Hogsmeade visits have been postponed until further notice. Thank you, and dig in!”  
Outrage amongst the students was sparked at Dumbledore’s last announcement, but the group at the Gryffindor table only shared knowing looks. They had a hunch as to why trips from the castle were banned, and it had to do with a certain assassin.  
“Let’s just hope this is all taken care of soon,” Ginny murmured.  
“Cheers to that,” Leo raised his glass.  
X  
AN: Another school year has begun! This chapter took me a while to write, I lost motivation like halfway through the week, but we made it in the end! I’ll hopefully have another chapter in a week, but we shall see. Please leave me a review!!! I absolutely love reading them, and feel free to PM me with any questions. Thanks :)


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6  
Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Harry Potter – one can only dream  
X  
Almost two months later found Harry walking around back of Riddle Manor, enjoying the cool October day. He loved his home in the fall time, when the great forest surrounding the grounds seemed to burst into flames of color and the air turned crisp.  
Harry had been supremely busy the past few weeks, training with Bella, Lucius, and Rabastan to bring his combat skills up to par and adding extra planning time in with his father as well. That was not to say he didn’t love every minute of it; Harry held a special affection for each one of the adults in his life who helped raise him. Bella especially loved to argue with him over everything, claiming it was to strengthen his mind, but Harry was inclined to think it was more her wanting to spend time with him. Not that he minded, she was as close to a mother he had, and he loved her in quite the same way.  
Lucius and Rabastan too held important roles in his life, and though he rarely left the manor except for assignments, Harry had grown close to the whole Malfoy family over the years. Harry knew his pseudo-family was less than sane at times, and certainly he grew up with a slight lack in morals, but he wouldn’t trade them for anything. Especially a light family.  
Arsinoe slithered over the leaves, no doubt hunting for mice, breaking Harry from his thoughts. She had grown a significant amount from when he first got her; she was now well over two feet long, though slender enough to coil around his arm without disturbance. Harry loved the elegant serpent, and she got along marvelously with Nagini, luckily because snakes could often be rather territorial. Arsinoe was a black mamba and would likely grow to be over eight feet long, much like her sister-friend, Nagini. She, of course, grew slower than regular black mambas because of her magically lengthened life span.  
“Are you almost ready to go back inside?” Harry hissed out to his familiar.  
“Yes, master. I shall be done in just a moment.”  
Nodding, Harry began the trek back to the front door, fixing his mask to his face as he went. He still wore a mask, as his father thought it unlikely that the Order had told anyone of their discovery, and he had no inclination to make his heritage well known just yet.   
Arsinoe caught up with the dark-haired boy and slithered up his leg to coil about his arm and neck. She sighed in contentment at the heat from Harry’s body.   
“Did you satisfy your hunger?”  
“Yes, master, I found half a dozen lovely mice. I could have saved you one, you need only have asked.”  
Harry rolled his eyes at her, “I don’t eat mice, Arsinoe. But thank you nonetheless,” he brushed his fingers over her dark scales.   
She sighed and muttered something about silly humans and their eating habits, just as Harry reached the manor’s entryway.   
The two low-rank death eaters guarding the door bowed to the masked boy as he passed, not sparing them so much as a glance. Harry walked confidently to the portrait which led to his quarters. Hissing his password, he stepped through and stepped into his room.   
After extending his arm to allow Arsinoe onto the chair in front of the hearth, he went to sit at his desk. A letter penned on thick, creamy paper sat on the desk, awaiting to be read and replied to. Slitting the top with his paperknife, Harry unfolded the letter from his friend.  
H,  
I do hope you are well and staying out of trouble. Father tells me you are being instructed in advanced wandless magic, and I must confess, I am rather envious. You shall have to teach me when we see each other again.   
Things have been slow here; I haven’t learned much of anything we didn’t already know. I shall let you know when the curriculum becomes more interesting.  
I look forward to seeing you at Christmas, and you had better be there. Please do not do anything stupid.  
Draco  
Harry allowed a small smile at Draco’s obvious worry over the possibility of him being caught. He was also annoyed at the lack of information involving Dumbledore, cleverly disguised as complaints about the simplicity of classes. Shaking his head, Harry dipped his quill into ink and began his reply.  
Draco,  
Do not worry yourself; I have every intention of spending Christmas at home. (And I look forward to decimating you in a wandless duel).  
I must admit, I was disappointed at your description of the curriculum. You shall have to do some supplementary studying to acquire new and useful information.  
I thank you for your concern over my well being and return your same request – do not do anything stupid.  
Your friend,  
H  
Scanning his short letter once more Harry nodded and sealed it with wax, before calling over his black Sooty Owl.   
“Take this to Draco at Hogwarts. Stay if he asks you to await a reply, though I doubt he will.”  
The owl hooted once before gliding out the window and into the now setting sun. Harry leaned back in his chair and regarded his calendar. The 19th of October. Harry stretched and rose, walking to grab one of his animagus books for some before-dinner reading.  
Harry had been working tirelessly over the past few months to gain control over his animagus form, and he had completed his first transformation the past Wednesday. He took the form of a Pseudechis porphyriacus, or red-bellied black snake. He was venomous, but not to a life-threatening degree. The only features which would distinguish him from a regular black snake were his emerald green eyes.   
Harry opened to a chapter which covered the exercises he should complete in order to gain ease of transformation, quickly losing himself in the book. At quarter to seven, Harry rose from his chair and went to freshen up before dinner.  
Emerging from the bathroom fifteen minutes later, he ventured out of his room and walked toward the dining room.  
X  
The Order of the Phoenix was gathered around the table of Grimmauld Place, a tense silence permeating the air. Tonight was the last night before the plan would be put to action, and the anxiety of every member was palpable.   
The past several weeks had been spent securing the upstairs room for Harry’s stay, before his behavior was assessed and he would be moved either to Godric’s Hallow or to Dumbledore’s care. Lily had come practically every weekend, making the room “homey” as she put it, with extra pillows and books for entertainment. She had run everything by Dumbledore and Moody first to be sure it couldn’t be used as a weapon or means of escape. They were truly willing to take no chances.  
“We should run through the plan once more. Everything has to go perfectly,” Lily’s concern was evident in her voice, and rightly so, as both her husband and son were at stake.  
“Quite right, my dear,” Dumbledore turned to Moody, “You have selected your team for tomorrow?”  
“Obviously, headmaster,” Mad-Eye looked affronted at the very idea that he was unprepared, “Remus, Sirius, Frank, Arthur, Bill, Kingsley, and Tonks will accompany me to the Potter residence and mask our appearances and magical signatures once inside. The boy will have no idea of our presence.”  
The seven mentioned aurors nodded in agreement as James spoke up, “Have you prepared the portkeys for transportation to Headquarters? Every auror present aught to have one in case someone becomes incapacitated.”  
Dumbledore nodded and passed a handful of pocket watches around the table, “These will be activated by the code word ‘Grimmauld’ and will take you directly into the secure room.”  
Moody spoke up again, “Snape will carry information of James’s vulnerability to You-Know-Who at precisely 10:00 in the morning, giving us ample time for the boy to appear and us to capture him.”  
Lily bit at her nails, only for James to place his hand over her own. He gave her a comforting look and a reassuring smile, as if to say that everything would be marvelous tomorrow. A sentiment which Lily agreed with, as long as absolutely nothing went wrong.  
X  
Harry slid into his seat at the great table, flicking out his napkin and laying it into his lap. The house elves had prepared a sumptuous meal of steaks, potatoes, and a variety of vegetables.   
Turning to his father Harry smiled, “Evening, Father.”  
“Good evening, Harry. I trust you had a productive day?”  
Harry nodded, “I managed to transform another time, and read up on some tactics to speed up the learning process.”  
“Excellent. An agile animagus will be useful in the coming months, I believe,” Voldemort said approvingly.  
“Got some spying missions planned?”  
Harry’s father only nodded before cutting into his steak, “Not that I’d expect your impatient self to sit still that long without difficulty.”  
“Oh please, I sit through your boring lessons practically every day without an issue.”  
“Ah, boring, are they? Let us see how you’d fare without them.”  
“I didn’t say they weren’t useful, just that you’re not an engaging teacher,” Harry replied impudently.  
“I fail to see how a dark lord would have any need or being engaging.”  
Harry huffed, “It might inspire said dark lord’s son to pay better attention.”  
“The day you stop paying attention is the day I stop instructing you, brat.”  
Harry grinned, “You wouldn’t give up my education so easily.”  
“That is to be determined, after all, you may still prove to be useless,” Voldemort teased with a smirk.  
Harry clutched at his heart, faking injury, “My how you wound me, Father!”  
Voldemort only grinned, a rare display of affection for the boy he had taken in as his own.  
The two continued their dinner, tossing playful banter back and forth, utterly unsuspecting that it would be the last dinner they shared for a long time.   
X  
The next morning Harry awoke late and got ready as per usual. He put on a set of luxurious black robes with green trim, pocketing his wand and silver skull mask. Wrapping Arsinoe about his neck, he set off for breakfast, knowing his father would not be there as it was already after 9:00. After eating he retreated to the classrooms for lessons with Rabastan, Lucius, and Bella.   
Opening the great walnut doors, he smiled at the three, already in dueling robes and holding weapons of choice – Lucius and Bella with wands and Rab with his precious blades.  
“Good morning Lucius, Bella, Rab,” Harry greeted warmly.  
“Morning, Harry, ready for a duel?” Bella looked all too eager to start.  
“You mean ready to hand you three your pride on a silver platter? Yeah, you bet”  
“Hush, you cheeky boy, let’s allow your spell and knifework to do the talking,” Lucius seemed unimpressed by Harry’s display of confidence, but a gleam of humor and affection shone in his grey eyes.  
Harry only smirked and pulled on his blade holsters, ready for an arduous duel against the three skilled adults.  
The four got into proper dueling stances, only to be interrupted by a loud knock at the door. Harry threw his mask on before flicking the door open, furious at whoever disrupted his duel.   
A low-level death eater stood at the door, “Master wishes to see his assassin,” he said apprehensively.   
Harry’s eyebrows rose before he swept past the man, not sparing a second glance at the three he left behind. If his father was interrupting what he knew was likely to be a heated duel, this assignment must be important.   
Harry arrived outside the study doors in minutes, raising his hand to rap on the walnut. The doors swung open and Harry walked in, already removing his mask once more.   
“You summoned me, Father?”  
“Yes. Snape has brought me the news I have been waiting for. Potter is alone and vulnerable.”  
Harry’s eyes sparked at the news, “It is time to end him?”  
“Precisely.”  
“Where?”  
“Godric’s Hallow. The aurors are occupied at Hogwarts and he is alone. It will not be a difficult mission.”  
“It’ll no doubt be quick.”  
“Do not be careless, my son. You cannot risk anything.”  
“Of course not, Father,” Harry smiled at the crimson-eyed man before turning to collect his supplies.  
X  
Lily cupped her forehead into her hands. It was 10:00, and she knew that at that very moment Severus was delivering the news to the dark lord which would either perfect or ruin her life. James had left an hour ago for their home, and she would not hear from him again until after the mission was over.  
They had told Leo the news of his brother the previous night, knowing that they would not have another chance if something went wrong. Needless to say, he had not taken it well…  
The previous night –  
Leo was confused and a bit concerned when his dad had come into the Gryffindor common room and told him that they needed to talk. The two had gone up to the Potter’s quarters where Leo’s mum was waiting. She, too looked tense.   
“Mum? What’s going on? Did I do something wrong?”  
“No, no nothing like that, Leo. We – your father and I – we have something to tell you.”  
“O-okay,” Leo sat on the sofa opposite his parents.   
James glanced at his wife before looking back at the thirteen-year-old, “You remember when we went to pick up Harry, but the house was- was-” James faltered.  
“Yeah,” Leo wondered why they were bringing up that terrible day again.   
“Well, we all thought that You-Know-Who had killed Harry because of the prophesy, but, well, you see, a few weeks ago I went to an auror call, and the, erm, assassin was there, and we were dueling, cuz he was wearing a mask, and you know how sometimes battles can get hectic where its hard to keep track of spells-” James was cut off by Lily’s hand on his arm.  
“James, honey, you’re rambling,” Lily took over the story, “One of the aurors cast a relashio jinx, causing the assassin’s mask to come off.”  
“No. No, no, no. It wasn’t-” Leo had drawn a conclusion of where the story was going.  
“It was H-Harry. You-Know-Who didn’t kill him, he took your brother away and-” Lily was unable to continue.   
Leo looked panicked, his face a mess of emotions, none of them positive, except for a glimmer of hope.  
“But we’ve got a plan, son. We’re going to capture him tomorrow and bring him home. We’ll all be together again,” James tried to control his frantic son.   
“My brother… is alive.”  
Lily shook herself from her reverie and glanced once more at the clock. 10:30. The battle was no doubt beginning  
X  
Harry walked towards the apparition point, his knives and wands firmly affixed to his person, Arsinoe coiled safely beneath protective armor on his upper arm. The oculos alius scriptor bounced against his chest as he walked, held close by his black combat robes.  
Harry had reached the apparition point, and with a twist, he was off to his once-home.  
Godric’s Hallow was quiet, everything bathed in the late morning sun, and no disturbances marred the picturesque landscape. Harry smirked at the knowledge that the perfect image would soon be shattered.  
The door to the cottage was worn and rustic, opening easily under Harry’s touch. He smirked at the lack of security against him; the blood wards allowed him to bypass all other measures.   
Inside the cozy home was a hallway, leading to different rooms as well as a staircase. Harry sensed only one other magical signature, emanating from the sitting room to his right. The same room which his father’s men had attacked all those years ago. How fitting.   
From the doorway Harry saw his birthfather sitting before a coffee table, seemingly unaware of the second presence in the house – or so Harry thought, until the man spoke.  
“I’m glad you came, Harry. It’s time you returned home.”  
Harry reeled back, not expecting the man to be so calm, almost cheerful. “W-what? I’m not here to meet you, I’m here to kill you.”  
James looked pained for a moment at those words, before replying, “I know you are. But that’s not how this is going to go.”  
At those words, the door behind Harry closed and the eight hidden aurors appeared, arranged in a circle around the shocked boy.   
Harry felt his heartrate pick up, this was very bad. The same blood wards which had allowed him in so easily would just as easily keep any backup up. Silently calling his second wand and blade holsters to open, Harry prepared for a battle he would be hard-pressed to win.   
“Nine against one, I’m flattered,” Harry was thankful his anxiety wasn’t evident in his voice and that it had the desired effect – many of the aurors looked thrown-off by his apparent nonchalance.   
“We don’t want to hurt you boy. You can always come quietly and peacefully,” Moody was already taking a few steps toward the dark assassin.  
“Me? Go quietly? I would rather pry out my own eyes than cooperate with the light.”  
James looked saddened before saying, “We won’t fire first, son. This is your battle and yours alone.”  
Anger flared up in the fifteen-year-old at those words, “I am not your son,” he spat with disdain.  
With that, Harry had called his wands to his hands and called out incendio maxima followed by a silent shield charm.  
The aurors leapt back from the flame and cast aguamenti charms to douse the dangerous flame. Moody and Tonks took opposite sides of the boy and cast stunning spells, which he agilely dodged, returning with several cutting curses.   
Harry glanced back towards the door and knew that he might have a chance to get out of the room if he took out four of his opponents.   
That revealed itself to be easier said than done when it was one talented, but severely overpowered boy against nine trained aurors. Harry had stunned a few of them a couple times, but they were always rennervated by one of their comrades.   
Harry threw out blades with precision, and succeeded in causing serious cuts to several of the aurors, but nothing was too incapacitating, and he soon had to give up on knifework in order to hold up a shield with one wand and cast offensively with the other.   
Harry had long ago transitioned to darker and darker curses, until he was dueling with almost exclusively the dark arts. These spells caused serious damage to his opponents, but they had been dueling death eaters for many years, and knew the best ways to counter dark curses, meaning Harry had to continually improve the complexity of his casting.   
Spells kept flying, and though Harry was powerful, even he couldn’t hold up a shield constantly under a barrage of spells from every direction. As such, fifteen minutes after the pivotal duel had begun, Harry’s shield faltered and fell, leaving him vulnerable and too magically drained from the dark magic to cast more defenses.  
Four stunning spells came from different directions as the aurors tried to catch him while he was down, and Harry was knocked out cold on the floor, a long throwing knife still poised in his right hand where he had switched his wand out mere seconds ago.  
“Bloody hell, I knew he was good, but to hold his own against nine of us…” Tonks walked forward to disarm the unconscious teen.  
No one responded, Moody and Kingsley were casting healing and dark magic reversal spells on the two Weasleys and Frank Longbottom, who had received the worst of Harry’s attack; and Sirius, James, and Remus were occupied with Harry.  
The three marauders walked towards they boy they had spent eight years mourning, pained at the way they had been reunited. James reached out to remove his mask, but found it firmly affixed to his face, and a few spells confirmed he had spelled it there to be removed only by himself. Apparently he hadn’t wanted a repeat of the last duel.   
James clasped his hand around his son’s wrist and activated his portkey, carrying them away to Grimmauld place.  
X  
Lord Voldemort sat on his highbacked chair in the study, awaiting the return of his son. He had left for the simple mission over an hour ago and should really have returned by now. Each minute his worry for his son was increasing, before finally Riddle decided he had to know what was going on.   
Retreating into his mind, the dark lord uncovered the bond with Harry’s orb, and activated the connection.  
Harry was furiously battling with six aurors, and Voldemort could see three more incapacitated in the background. He could tell from Harry’s movements that he was exhausted. Harry was an excellent dueler, but even he had his limits, and it seemed nine trained aurors was it.   
Voldemort could feel the intense anger, determination, and fear which were coursing through the green-eyed boy. He knew he would not last much longer, and with a sinking heart, the dark lord watched his son’s shield fall. The connection went dark as Harry fell unconscious under the weight of four stunning spells.  
The fury in his crimson eyes as Tom Riddle was expelled from his son’s mind was unmatched by any he had seen before. Harry was ambushed. They had set a trap and they had fallen for it. Riddle was positively fuming.  
They had, of course, been prepared for such an occasion, but they had planned it to occur on their terms.  
Voldemort knew only one thing as he called for his inner circle, they would get his son back, and Dumbledore would pay.  
X  
AN: This chapter basically wrote itself – I was loving the Harry and Voldemort interactions. I hope you all enjoyed, and please leave a review! This chapter was a little shorter than the last two, but I should have another one out in a week!


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter in any capacity – I am simply borrowing the characters for a bit  
X  
The room which the four wizards landed in was small but cozy; Lily’s touches could be seen everywhere. However, not one of the current occupants was paying attention to their surroundings. All three of the conscious men was seeming entranced by the masked boy lying on the floor.   
Sirius felt as if his heart was simultaneously in his throat and stomach. His little godson, the boy he had not gone a day without thinking of, was lying in the floor in front of him. The dog animagus leaned forward to run his hand through Harry’s dark hair, relishing the warmth that only came from someone wonderfully alive. Tears made their way down Sirius’s cheeks, uninterrupted by any hands brushing at them. In fact, all three marauders had tears coursing down their faces.  
Remus felt the emotions bubbling up in his chest at the reintroduction to the boy he had adopted as his cub, despite not having any blood relation. Suddenly it was all too much for the werewolf, “I-I have to go get Lily.”  
Remus all but ran from the room; he was usually an extremely level-headed person, and this much shock and emotion and joy and pain was very foreign to him.  
Arriving in the kitchen, Remus walked up to the redheaded woman slumped at the table, apparently oblivious to her surroundings. Laying a gentle hand on her shoulder, Remus spoke.  
“Lily? We’re back.”  
Said woman’s heads snapped up, and immediately she seemed all too aware of the situation.  
“Where? Upstairs?” She was already dashing to the stairs, not waiting for a reply. Remus hesitantly followed, giving in to the need to be near his long lost ‘nephew’ once more.  
The door creaked open under Lily’s palm. She stepped into the room, emotions so high she felt emotionless. There. On the floor. Her baby.  
Lily fell to her knees next to the boy she had spent more time mourning than raising. Her head fell to his chest, content to listen to the heartbeat that was supposed to be long silent. Everything else disappeared, and Lily cried.  
Watching his wife there on the floor with his son, James felt that nothing in the world mattered. Voldemort, Hogwarts, the Ministry, it all disappeared. As Sirius had done, James carded his hand through the dark hair, so like his own.   
Lily sat up a few minutes later, “We need to wake him up. He could be injured, or imperioed, and why in Merlin’s name is he still wearing a mask?”  
“Couldn’t get it off,” Sirius spoke up, “He’s charmed it to himself.”  
Sirius continued, “Remus has gone to get Dumbledore from Hogwarts, they’ll be back soon, then we can safely wake him up. Moody’s downstairs.”  
Lily nodded and backed up from her son. James and Sirius walked forward together and settled Harry onto the bed. The three of them then waited for the floo to flare green.  
It turned out they needn’t wait long - hardly a minute had passed when Dumbledore and Remus came through the fireplace, calling Moody up in the process.   
Lily quickly ran some diagnostic charms on the boy and finding nothing too serious (a few potions and Harry would be perfect), the six adults stepped back from the bed.  
“Rennervate.”  
No one was expecting Harry to be almost immediately aware – a product of his training. He rolled instantly to his feet and took a defensive position. He didn’t make any further moves, though.  
Harry stood, facing his captors, ready to defend himself if they tried anything (though he doubted they would). He knew his father knew he was captured, and they had a well-thought-out plan for this. He needed to remain calm and not do anything to cause him any further trouble.  
“Harry?” Lily broke the silence.  
His gaze was diverted to the woman, face remaining impassive, with a hint of anger bubbling under the surface.  
“H-Harry?” She spoke again, more uncertain this time, “I- could you remove your mask?”  
Slowly reaching up, knowing it could do no harm, Harry pulled the elegant piece of silver from his visage.   
Even though everyone in the room had already seen Harry’s face in the memory, an air of shock traveled through the gathered adults. It was so strange, the more they looked, though. Gazes were flicking between James, Lily, and Harry.   
Where James and Lily’s features were rounded and soft, Harry’s were higher, more aristocratic. Hair that had seemed identical to James’s a moment ago now looked thicker and more styled; a look James could never, ever achieve. These features, unnoticeable in the harsh lighting of the Lumos from the memory, now stood out in harsh relief.   
Dumbledore suddenly started as he placed where he had seen those subtle features before.   
“Tom blood adopted you, didn’t he, my boy.”  
The marauders and Lily gasped harshly at those words, but Harry payed them no mind, “Of course, you can’t honestly have expected him to raise a son that wasn’t even related to him.”  
“You’re not his son, you’re ours!” James took a step closer to Harry, unwilling to accept his words.  
“I stopped being your son the moment you abandoned me to that hell.”  
“No, no, Harry, you have to understand, we needed to protect you, he- he was after you, and you had to be safe,” Lily was desperate to pull herself together and convince her son of the truth.   
“Well you certainly did a bang-up job of that, now didn’t you.”  
“Son, you’ve got to understand, we only ever did what we thought would keep you safe, even if that wasn’t with us.”  
Harry slowly turned to James, “You can spin whatever tales you want to me but know this – I am not your son. I never will be.”  
With that, Harry walked into the en suite he had located as soon as he woke up as his way out of a conversation such as this.  
The six adults, knowing when to step back, walked quietly from the room.  
“He was not under any curses, imperius or otherwise,” Dumbledore revealed as they walked, “I trust all weapons have been removed from his person?”  
“Of course,” Moody replied easily.   
“Then all we can do is wait. He’ll come around,” Lily confidently looped her arm around James’s, “Now he’s here with us we’ll never let him go again.”  
X  
Leo’s eyes were trained on the Weasley’s fireplace, his attention never once being diverted, even by the loud game of exploding snap his friends were passing the time with.   
“You know, mate, the time will go quicker if you distract yourself,” Ron offered helpfully.  
“I know, I know. I just can’t concentrate in anything else right now,” Leo said, still not turning from the fireplace, “He could be at Grimmauld right now. My brother could be just a short floo ride away.”  
Hermione came up and sat next to him, “And you’ll see him soon. Here, I brought you some snacks.”  
Hermione had always acted somewhat motherly towards Leo, no matter how many times he tried to tell her that his actual mother was usually at school with them. Secretly, Leo appreciated that his older friends looked out for him – not that he’d ever tell them that. With a flash of hope, the hazel-eyed boy wondered if Harry would take up that role, now.  
“What do you think he’ll be like?” Leo finally turned towards his friends, interested in their thoughts.   
They suddenly looked rather uncomfortable, no doubt considering how Harry’s upbringing may have affected him.  
“Erm, probably powerful, magically, you know,” Ron mumbled, searching for a good but realistic trait.  
“I’m sure he’s very smart,” Hermione offered.  
“Oh yeah-”  
“Brilliant, I’m sure,” The twins chimed in.  
“He’ll look like Mr. Potter, right?” Ginny said.  
No reply was given, because at that moment the floo lit up green – it was time for Leo to go to Grimmauld Place.  
He called a goodbye to the Weasleys and darted into the emerald fire without another thought, being swept away to the kitchen of the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix.  
The kitchen was cozy, with a kettle heating on the stove and the Potters (sans Harry), Remus, Sirius, and Dumbledore seated around the table. There was an untouched plate of biscuits in the center of the table, but no one was interested in food at the moment.  
“So, how is he?”  
“Oh he’s just fine, healthy,” Lily said, a spark of happiness dancing in her green eyes.  
“Can I see him?”  
“Well, son, you see he’s rather upset at the moment. He hasn’t settled in yet,” James tried to dissuade Leo.  
“But he’s my brother! I have to see him,” Leo refused to give up so easily, “I don’t care if he’s a little upset. I’ve waited my whole life to meet him.”  
“We know, sweetheart, but now’s really not the right moment.”  
Dumbledore chose that moment to speak up, “Harry’s been raised and adopted by Voldemort. He does not see you as his family yet,” his eyes twinkled, “however, I think a visit from his brother tomorrow may help to speed the process.”  
Leo’s eyes lit up with excitement, “Really?”  
“I suppose if we’re all with you… it couldn’t really hurt,” Lily agreed.  
“Yes!”  
X  
Harry rolled onto his side and squinted into the early October light from the window. Pushing himself up into a sitting position he performed a quick stock of his position.  
All his weapons had been removed by the aurors, but he was still able to cast wandlessly. Not that he would be trying to escape just yet – he had information and trust to gather.  
Arsinoe lay at the foot of his bed; he had removed her from her armored pocket late last night, and no one in the order knew of her existence. He wanted to keep it that way, after all, there was no telling what light wizards would do at the sight of a potentially lethal snake.  
Harry had no clean robes to change into, not that he would want to trade in his finery for the Potter’s options. He wore classy and fitted black robes, accented by sterling silver clasps and expensive dragon hide boots. Perfect for fighting.  
Harry definitely regretted that he had not been able to say anything in parting with Bella or anyone else, especially his father. Not one to allow regrets to consume him, though, Harry shook himself and prepared for what would no doubt be a taxing day.  
He had just finished coiling a drowsy Arsinoe around his neck under his robes when a knock sounded at the door.  
The person, giving up on receiving an answer after a few minutes slowly opened the door. Harry was sitting on the edge of his bed, staring blankly as Lily came in carrying a tray of breakfast foods.  
“I thought you might like some food,” the redhead said cautiously.  
Harry raised an eyebrow but said nothing.  
“I’ll just, um, set it here,” Lily said awkwardly, “Is there anything you need? Something in particular you’d like to do today”  
He shot her a disbelieving look and said, “I’d love to take a long walk. Maybe all the way back home.”  
“I don’t- I know you’re feeling upset at us right now, and with good reason, but you’ve got to see that that was not your home.”  
Harry scoffed, “Upset, yeah. Thanks ever so much for the food.”  
Saddened by the obvious dismissal, and not wanting to push her son further away, Lily slipped from the room.  
Alone once more, Harry loosened the neck of his robes and allowed Arsinoe to slither forward.  
“Take what you like,” Harry hissed, gesturing to the full plate, “I’m just going to have the fruit.”  
Arsinoe hissed her appreciation and set upon the bacon with greed.  
“I’ll have to figure out a way to get you an opportunity to hunt. Maybe the back wards extend far enough for some exercise?”  
“I’m sure something will work out, master.” The snake’s head perked up, “Now I sense life on the stairs, shall I hide?”  
Harry nodded quickly, helping the snake back into her hiding place just as the door was knocked upon once again.  
X  
James was the first up the stairs and stood by the door waiting for his wife and younger son to reach him before he knocked. He nervously ran his hand through his hair, anxious about how Harry would receive his brother.  
Lily and Leo reached the top of the stairs and James stretched out his fist, rapping it softly against the door.   
There was no sound from inside the room for a moment before shuffling neared the door and it was thrown open by a stony-faced Harry.  
“What?” he said coldly, already turning back towards his bed.   
“Harry,” Lily began tentatively, “we have someone we’d like you to meet.”  
Leo walked forward at that moment, unable to contain his eagerness anymore, “Hi! I’m Leo,” the hazel-eyed boy grinned brightly.  
Harry’s expression did not alter, and he hardly spared a half-second’s glance at the boy. He didn’t like the fact that now another Potter was going to constantly pester him for attention which he was unwilling to give. The only problem was that this boy was innocent, naïve, and utterly uninvolved in anything that had to do with Harry, so he could hold no hatred for the younger boy.  
Harry settled on simply ignoring him.  
Unfortunately for the Riddle heir, however, Leo was utterly undeterred by his older brother’s lack of enthusiasm.   
“I’m thirteen, and I’m on the quidditch team. Do you play quidditch? We could practice together, or-”  
“Was there anything else or was the brat’s introduction it?” Harry addressed the Potter couple and ignoring the indignant splutters of the thirteen-year-old.  
“We did hope to spend some time together, getting to know each other, it’s been so long,” Lily replied hopefully.  
“Wonder whose fault that is,” Harry muttered under his breath. He wanted nothing more than to wandlessly hex the life out of the couple standing before him, but he knew there were bigger things at stake, and the plan must take priority over his dreams of revenge.  
Pulling his emotions behind his strongest occlumency shields Harry steeled himself for the long weeks to come.  
Lily and James sat together on the beige sofa, gesturing to Leo to take a seat as well. Harry, deciding to see what he could gather from this interaction, sat on the cushioned chair in the corner, easily adopting a comfortable yet regal air.  
Lily picked at the skin around her thumb nail, taking a deep breath, “We’ve been, um, discussing the possibility of you coming with us to Hogwarts, since Leo and I have to go back soon. We didn’t want to leave you here alone.”  
Harry smirked internally, being held at Hogwarts would make his job exponentially easier. As long as the Potters kept him close, he would be able to watch and learn from them and Dumbledore, as well as come to headquarters for Order meetings.   
One aristocratic eyebrow arched on Harry’s face, “And…” he drawled in a way that would make Draco proud.  
“Well, it would mean you could take classes, and have a real school experience,” Lily looked altogether too optimistic at this thought.  
“What makes you think I haven’t already learned everything they have to offer at Hogwarts?” Harry smirked.  
James, chuckled as though he had just told the joke of the century, “No way, it’s not possible to learn everything, even your mother couldn’t take every class.”  
Harry bristled at the reference to Lily but chose not to comment. Instead, he simple rose his other eyebrow in challenge and remained stoically silent.  
“How much education have you received? Do you favor any particular subject?” Lily tried to get the conversation going once more.   
“Enough. And I’m rather partial to potions, though Fa- my instructor would say offensive magic is more my forte,” Harry cursed himself at his near slip, he needed to imbue trust into these people, and referring to his father as such would only set back the process. He knew that that particular moniker would be best reserved as a weapon in specific circumstances.  
Leo took this opportunity to jump in, “Offensive magic? Like defense against the Dark Arts? I’m really good at that too!” The boy’s chest puffed with pride.  
Harry didn’t bother turning to face the younger boy, “Sure, if you removed the ‘defense against’,” he sneered.  
Leo looked perplexed for a moment, then seemed to remember exactly how his older brother had been raised.   
James, too, ran a hand through his hair nervously, “Well I’m sure we can find some good potions lessons for you at least.”  
“I’m thrilled.”  
“I’m glad to hear that, my boy,” the four occupants turned as Dumbledore’s voice sounded from the doorway.  
Harry immediately stiffened at the increased threat potential, and he felt Arsinoe stir from within her hiding place.  
“I see you are already discussing Harry’s impending movement to Hogwarts,” the headmaster’s eyes twinkled, “Alastor and I were just working out the details this morning, and we believe the first week in October would be an agreeable transition period.”  
“Why, that’s only a week and a half away, and we still have to buy robes and books, not to mention his schedule,” Lily spoke up.  
“Not to worry, my dear. We’ll do all that by mail, and in the meantime, Harry can settle into his family.”  
The anger Harry had been keeping tight under wraps roiled at that statement, and it took all his occlumency skills to prevent an all-out duel with the Headmaster.  
Dumbledore clapped his hands together, “We can discuss the details later! For now I shall just let you catch up as a family,” with that the aged man turned and swept from the room, fuchsia robes swirling in a sickening candy-like pattern.  
A headache began to bloom at the emotional strain this conversation had put Harry under. He scowled, not going unnoticed by his ‘parents’.  
“Was there anything you wanted for lunch? I can bring up food, or you could come down,” Lily looked hopeful as she rose to leave.  
“No,” Harry’s patience for these people was worn out, and he had no motivation to share a meal with them.  
Lily nodded, sad but unsurprised, and led her husband and son from the room.   
Finally, Harry was left to go over his plans in peace. Falling back into his relaxed position on the chair – one he often assumed when discussing policy with Voldemort – He loosened his robes to free Arsinoe.  
The snake hissed in agitation, no doubt picking up on Harry’s annoyance, and slithered to a far corner of the room.  
Harry massaged his temples and recalled what he and his father had determined was the best course of action in this situation. He knew that he had to create a perfect illusion of resentment and distrust to start (not a difficult feat), and transition into someone the Order wouldn’t suspect of lingering loyalty to the dark, therefore opening up his route to gathering info.   
This would be no easy task, but he would manage. Hogwarts would be both a blessing and a curse, what with having to deal with his Slytherin comrades quietly so as not to blow anyone’s cover. However, the castle would also provide an easy way to spy on all the right people, and plenty of ways to eventually escape.  
That posed another problem. Harry would need to communicate with his father when it was time for him to be broken out of his confinement, and then execute a no doubt difficult escape plan.  
Harry sighed; it would be a difficult few weeks to be certain.  
X  
Bellatrix cursed the practice dummy with unbridled fury. She had been informed last evening of Harry’s capture, and had been positively fuming ever since.   
That boy would be the death of her, and she would be the death of all those imbecilic Order members. Harry was hers, not that Potter girl’s. She had given him up long ago, and it was Bella who had raised him, tended to his injuries, soothed the damage done by those muggles.   
Bella threw another neon yellow curse towards the far wall, snarling as it blasted the dummy apart. A hand wrapped around her wrist, and she pivoted, coming face to face with her husband, Rudolphus.   
“You’ve been in here for hours,” He stated.  
“So? I can do as I please.”  
Rudolphus stared at her, “You’re too much like Harry.”  
Bella grinned, extracting herself from his grip. “As it should be. And don’t pretend you haven’t had your own hand in his personality.”  
Rudolphus smirked, turning to leave the room, “We have to meet with our lord. Anger won’t do anything to rectify the situation. The sooner we formulate a plan, the sooner we can bring the boy home.”  
“And the sooner the Dark Lord can stop cursing every recruit in sight,” Bella said, twirling past him and out to the meeting room.  
Everyone in the manor was acutely affected by the absence of the snarky, sarcastic prince, and no one would be truly happy until he was returned to them. Yes, the following weeks would certainly be quite difficult.  
X  
AN: Sorry for the longer wait for this chapter – the next few will probably take a while, too, though, what with the holidays and semester exams. Thanks for reading! Please please leave me a review!


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8  
Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not and never will be mine, no matter how much I wish it were.  
X  
Dumbledore looked around the table carefully, ensuring that everyone he wanted present was there – and only those people. Confirming this, he silently erected wards around the room, preventing anyone from entering, as well as any sound from escaping.  
The conversation which was about to take place was highly important, and they couldn’t risk anyone who wasn’t necessary for the plans to overhear. As it was, the people currently awaiting the meeting to begin were James and Lily, of course, as well as Moody, Kingsley, Tonks, Remus, and Sirius.   
These were all the people qualified and entrusted to know every detail of Harry’s stay at Hogwarts, and the security measures being put in place. They would essentially be his guards at the school, ensuring that the boy didn’t do anything dangerous or illegal.  
Clearing his throat, Dumbledore rose and greeted the group, “I believe it would be advantageous for us to review all that we have learned about Mr. Potter over the past week, so that we may construct a functional and efficient plan.”  
“May as well start with the obvious - he’s blatantly raised by the dark, he’s sarcastic and disrespectful, and thoroughly uncooperative,” Moody stated gruffly.  
Remus looked thoughtful, “While that may not be incorrect, it is important to recognize the feelings behind the behavior. Harry seems terribly distrustful and resentful of us, especially James and Lily,” he shot an apologetic look at the couple, “And this manifests itself in his coldness.”  
“He hates us for giving him up when he was a baby. He doesn’t understand that we were panicked and were just trying to keep him safe the only way we knew how,” James looked regretful while he spoke.  
Sirius spoke up, “So Harry’s distrustful and angry, making him cold and unresponsive, and probably somewhat afraid, or missing the place he grew up,” Sirius was careful not to say ‘home’, “And I would wager he’s not thrilled at the prospect of having to deal with going to Hogwarts for the first time.”  
Lily looked thoughtful, “That’s the thing, though, he’s not as closed off or cruel to Leo, he just ignores him or gives short responses – not at all like he treats us. Maybe he won’t mind being near children his own age.”  
“Well if he’s only upset at the fact that we – meaning all light oriented adults – approved his transfer to your sister, then he’d have no reason to hate the children who weren’t even alive or aware at that point,” Remus added.  
Dumbledore nodded, “My thoughts exactly, my boy. I believe Harry will be perfectly fine living at Hogwarts – he won’t harbor any hatred to the children there because they are not responsible for any action against him or his cause.”  
“So you feel comfortable throwing the protégé of the Dark Lord into a school full of light children. Logical,” Moody sneered.   
“Well it’s not as if he’ll be able to do whatever he pleases; he’ll be watched the whole time by us,” Tonks spoke up.  
“There is no use debating whether or not Mr. Potter is going to Hogwarts, that’s already been decided. We simply need to work out the logistics of his stay,” Kingsley cut off the impending argument before it truly began.  
“On that note, I believe it will be pertinent to establish a permanent detail of aurors at Hogwarts – perhaps under the guise of increasing security due to further movements of Voldemort and his men,” Dumbledore ignored the cringes at the name.  
“Which is where all of us come in,” Tonks said cheerfully. She was looking forward to going back to the school where she had graduated from not all that long ago.  
“Indeed,” Dumbledore smiled at the pink-haired woman.  
“But where will he stay? He has to be in a dorm, or it’ll arouse suspicion, but we can’t very well insert aurors into the fifth-year boy’s dorms,” Lily looked inquiringly at the headmaster.  
“I suppose we could inform one or two of his year mates of the situation, impressing upon them the need for secrecy, of course,” Remus suggested.  
“But he’ll no doubt be sorted into Slytherin, and we can’t very well have him live there, he probably has his own inner circle made up of those death-eaters-waiting-to-happen,” Moody said incredulously.  
“Oh, he won’t be sorted, I’ve already decided to place him in Gryffindor with the Weasleys,” Dumbledore’s eyes twinkled, “It’s in his blood, after all.”  
X  
Arsinoe slithered in circles about Harry, trying and failing to find a spot which suited her temperature desires. Harry was starting to go dizzy, watching the snake constantly coil and uncoil, flinging herself about the room.  
“Honestly, would it kill you to put a warming charm here?” She hissed in irritation.  
“You know, wild snakes make do without magical luxuries. Why don’t you embrace your inner mamba?”  
“I’d like to see you go without magic, master. I’m no less magically bred than you are,” Arsinoe huffed.  
Harry quirked an eyebrow, “Fine, fine ‘Focillo’. Happy?”  
“Ecstatic,” the dark snake hissed comfortably, twirling into a tight coil in front of the door.  
Harry rolled his eyes; he loved the snake, but honestly, she was so spoiled.   
The boy flopped onto his back on the carpet, wishing he were back home in his father’s study, going over plans. It was only a few days before he would leave for Hogwarts, but although he had always wanted to see the school his father had called his first home, he knew it would feel more suffocating being around all those aurors and light families.  
Cradling his head on his arms Harry stared at the ceiling. If he tilted his head and squinted, it almost matched the elegant painted ceilings of Riddle manor. Harry sighed. He was raised to be strong, unaffected by emotions or homesickness, but here in the Order of the Phoenix headquarters Harry felt the stab of homesickness he hadn’t felt since he left the Dursleys.  
That time in his life was brutal and traumatizing, but he had been brought out with little more effects than his admittedly Slytherin qualities. His father, Bella, Lucius, Rabastan, and everyone else had saved him from that place and given him a home.  
And now the light was tearing that away, making him feel like he was trapped back in a place he could not escape from or show his true self in. He would never forgive the Potters for this. They broke him by sending him away without a care, and now they wanted to do it again by tearing him away from the family he had built.  
Harry lay there on the floor, growing steadily angrier at the Potters for their actions. Arsinoe was sleeping contentedly, unaware of the distress of her master.  
Someone knocked suddenly at the closed door, and without warning it was flung wide. Leo froze in the doorway, transfixed by the coiled snake at his feet, hand still on the doorknob.  
X  
Dumbledore tapped his feet impatiently, sitting outside the minister’s office for a meeting was taking longer than he anticipated. He honestly didn’t even see a point in being here in the first place – he was headmaster, so accepting students into the school was his prerogative. Alas, he didn’t want trouble with the ministry, so when they requested a meeting to talk about Harry’s admittance he was inclined to obey.  
The office door opened, and a secretary’s voice called out, “The minister will see you now.”  
Dumbledore arose and walked into the room, the door closing behind him. Going into the minister’s office, he walked over to a chair and took a seat.  
“Headmaster, good of you to come,” Fudge said.  
“Minister,” he said with a nod, “I do hope there won’t be any issues with the arrangements.”  
“Certainly not, I’m sure everything will be perfectly fine once we’ve sorted out a few things.”  
The minister steepled his fingers, “It is my understanding that you wish to keep Mr. Potter’s past a secret, and that he will be treated as any other Hogwarts student would be.”  
“Indeed, with the exception of the aurors I’ve arranged to be about the school in the case of an emergency.”  
“Quite; well, we did have a few concerns about his contacts within the school – surely the boy knows some of the Slytherin children who could aid in communication with You-Know-Who?”  
“Seeing as the boy will be placed in Gryffindor and be watched in the halls and in classes, I hardly think he will be able to plot anything with the Slytherin students,” Dumbledore reasoned.  
Fudge looked doubtful but did not press the issue further, “I suppose all that is left to discuss is Mr. Potter’s necessary screening. Can’t have an ill-intentioned dark wizard free at Hogwarts, regardless of the aurors.”  
Dumbledore’s eyebrows raised an infinitesimal amount. This was a complication he had hoped to avoid. He had no way of knowing if Harry would cooperate with a questioning, and his posing any problems could result in problems for the Order’s plans.  
“I can assure you that Harry-”  
“No, Headmaster, I’m afraid this was deemed absolutely necessary by the board if you wish to house the boy at the school. If he truly harbors no harmful intentions this can be quick and simple.”  
Dumbledore was a man people rarely contradicted, even the minister, and so this adamance was a sign that Fudge would not back down.  
The headmaster nodded and stood, “I trust you will owl me the time of our appointment?”  
“You can expect it by this afternoon,” the minister stood as well, reaching out to shake Dumbledore’s hand, “Have a nice day, Headmaster.”  
X   
“Wh- what- why is there a snake,” Leo stammered, already backing from the room.  
Harry was on his feet in an instant, pulling the boy into the room and closing the door firmly.   
“Shut up! Shut up and sit down,” Harry pushed the younger boy into a chair. He then reached down and scooped up Arsinoe, who protested at the movement, and settled her under his robes.  
“You have a snake!? Why do you have a snake? Does mum know? Where did you get it? Harry you can’t-”  
“I said shut up! The snake is my familiar, and you’re not to tell anyone about her. Understood?”  
“What? No, I can’t keep a secret like that,” Leo protested.  
“Yes, you can. And you will. Unless you fancy being obliviated, which I can’t promise will go right as I’ve never done it wandlessly.”  
The hazel-eyed boy paled, “No, no. Ok, I’ll keep it a secret, I guess. But why hide it in the first place? Mum and Dad like pets.”  
“Snakes? I doubt it. She’ll be a secret, and if I hear anyone talk about it, I’ll know where they got the information,” Harry finished with a threatening look at the younger boy.  
Somehow, Leo didn’t feel overly upset at the blatant threat, “Yeah, yeah, ok. But that means you owe me.”  
“What? No, I don’t. You still have your memories, that makes us even.”  
Leo shook his head, “No, you owe me a favor now.”  
Harry looked contemplatively at him; this felt rather similar to the negotiations he and Draco would come up with at children, “You sure you’re not a Slytherin?”  
Leo’s face turned sour, like he had bitten into a lemon, “NO!”  
Harry chuckled and turned away, just as a call came from the hall, “Harry? We need to talk to you about something,” Lily’s voice came through the door.  
Harry’s face immediately lost all humor. He walked to the door and opened it. Hardly glancing at the redhead, he walked down the stairs toward the kitchen where Dumbledore and James were already seated.  
He stood behind a chair, staring at Dumbledore, the lesson ‘never take your eyes off the enemy’ ringing in his head. Lily walked in behind him and took a seat next to James.  
“Take a seat, Harry,” Dumbledore said kindly.  
Harry didn’t move, he just kept staring at the man, eyes occasionally flickering to the two Potters seated next to him.  
“What do you need to talk about?”  
“Well, Harry, because you are to go to Hogwarts, the ministry is requiring an interview with you for… safety reasons,” Dumbledore seemed unperturbed by Harry’s obvious annoyance.   
“They want to make sure I’m not going to attack any of their precious children.”  
James looked curiously at him, “Well of course not. We know you wouldn’t do that. They just want to make sure nothing gets out that’s not supposed to.”  
“Right.”  
Lily cut in, “We’ll have to leave in about an hour, so would you like to wash up or get a snack?”  
“I don’t need to get all fancied up to see that fool of a minister,” Harry replied coldly.  
“Right, well, if you change your mind…”  
“I won’t.” Harry left the kitchen.  
James sighed and put his head in his hands. Lily looked just as defeated.  
Dumbledore was quick to offer comfort, “Harry will come around; he’s feeling trapped right now, but it will be better at Hogwarts.”  
James looked up, optimistically, “You’re right, he’ll love Hogwarts. How could anyone not feel free there.”  
“Quite right, my boy, quite right.”  
The three sat together at the table, newfound hope for the boy upstairs forming in their hearts.  
X  
That hope was quickly being dampened as the family sat in the office of the minister later that day. The interview was a strange one, with thinly veiled questions and even more frustrating responses.  
Harry had been expertly evading each question, while still technically providing an answer.  
The minister too, looked increasingly frustrated, asking yet another question, “Are you planning to contact anyone in Slytherin house?”  
“Seeing as we’ll be in several classes together, I find it hard to believe I’ll be able to not communicate with them at some point.”  
Amelia Bones posed another question, “Yes, well, are you planning on using anyone to contact the Death-Eaters?”  
“I’m not aware of how I could possibly accomplish such a thing with all the aurors about.”  
So on the questioning went, covering every topic from Harry’s possible malicious intentions (“I have no wish to harm any of the children at the school,”), to any possible escape plans (“I do not believe the Hogwarts wards would be so easily breached,”), never once did a question receive a direct answer.  
Finally, James stood, “Madame Bones, I do believe we have established all the proper information that can be gathered here.”  
She sighed, “Yes, I do believe you might be right.”  
The minister spluttered, “We’ve gathered no information at all! How can we trust someone who so easily manipulates our questioning? I propose we administer veritaserum.”  
At that Lily stood, “Out of the question. I will not allow any potentially toxic potions to be administered. And you cannot do so without my consent or a formal trial.”  
“Of course not, Lily, the minister is not thinking straight,” Madame Bones said.  
Harry snorted lightly at that, inciting another furious glare from the minister.  
“No. This interview is not yet over, I demand this become a formal interrogation by an auror, on the grounds of subject suspiciousness,” the minister said firmly.  
“Minister, you cannot mean to-”  
“I can and I do!” Fudge cut Lily off, “This boy is a potentially dangerous person, and his obvious avoidance of our questions leaves no room for argument. He will be immediately questioned by Auror Moody.”  
He then tapped a communication device with his wand, “Alastor, we have need of you promptly.”  
Lily looked furious, and James hardly less so. This was supposed to be a quick interview, gauging Harry’s intentions and perhaps even inciting a little trust from their son. Now, though, he would be subject to the one thing they had wanted to avoid – a formal interrogation, and by none other than Mad-Eye. This was a disaster.  
Dumbledore shifted his gaze to the two, “Do not worry. Harry cannot say anything that will undermine our goal. He will be going to Hogwarts regardless.”  
The parents only looked at each other.  
On the other end of the room Harry contemplated his options. They would no doubt give him veritaserum, even if it wasn’t perfectly legal, per-say. There would be no one present to stop them, and he’d be damned if he went to the Potters for help.  
He wasn’t yet proficient at resisting the effects, but he could manipulate his answers perhaps. He also didn’t want to reveal his parseltongue abilities to avoid questions.  
He decided to gain some assurances, “You will not be asking any questions about the plans of the dark, correct? Seeing as this is merely a school interview, I hardly think that’s appropriate.”  
“I’ll ask whatever questions I see fit, Potter,” Moody strode into the room.  
“Now now Alastor, Harry is quite right. There will be no questioning outside of the intended purposes,” Dumbledore said.  
The man snarled but nodded.   
“Excellent! And I of course will need to view the recording afterwards with Lily and James.”  
Amelia nodded, “Of course, Headmaster.”  
“Alright then, Potter. Off we go,” Moddy strode from the room, Harry rising gracefully and following.  
“I’m sure it will be fine, Lily,” James tried to reassure, despite his own doubts.  
“Certainly it will. Now, perhaps some biscuits?” Dumbledore said jovially.  
X  
Within the interrogation room, Moody passed a small vial toward Harry.  
“Three drops of that, then we can start. It’s diluted, so you won’t get sick.”  
‘And I’ll be able to keep my thoughts, somewhat,’ Harry thought, obediently swallowing three drops of the tasteless liquid. Now was not the time to cause issues; he needed to start gaining some trust, and if this was how he did it, then so be it.  
Moody tapped the recording orb.  
“Wonderful, now, let’s start easy, what is your name?”  
“Harry Corvinus Riddle.”  
“Your birth name,” Moody snarled.  
“Harry James Potter,” Harry spoke as though the words were painful to say.  
Nodding, Moody continued, “Where did you grow up?”  
“The Dursley’s home and Riddle Manor.”  
“And who raised you?”  
“Several people.”  
“Who specifically?”  
“Lord Voldemort.”  
“That’s it?”  
“No.”  
Moody huffed, “Who else, then, Potter?”  
“Several people.”  
Moody glared, “Names,” he ground out.  
“That wasn’t a question.”  
Moody’s hand slammed on the table, “What are the names of the people who raised you?”  
“Vernon and Petunia Dursley,” the beginnings of a smirk were playing on Harry’s lips.  
“What are the names of the people, besides Voldemort, who raised you at Riddle Manor?” Moody ground out deliberately.  
“Bellatrix, Rabastan, and Rudolphus Lestrange.”   
Moody looked vaguely disturbed at the thought of being raised by them, before continuing, “Do you have any plans to communicate with them?”  
‘With Rab, Bella, and Rudolphus, no.’ Harry thought. “No.”  
Moody looked surprised, “Do you have any plans of escape?”  
‘Not actual formed plans,’ “No.”  
Again, a flit of surprise, “Do you plan to harm any of the students at Hogwarts?”  
“I don’t wish to harm any child.”  
“That’s not the question.”  
“That’s how I interpret it.”  
Moody growled lowly, “Fine. What level is your current magical education?”  
“Higher than that offered at Hogwarts.”  
“Who instructed you?”  
“Those who raised me.”  
“No one else?”  
“Yes.”  
“Who?”  
“My father’s Death Eaters.”  
“Anyone specific?”  
“Yes.”  
“What is their name?”  
Name, singular, “Barty Crouch Jr.” If you counted one lesson.  
Harry knew he couldn’t expose the Malfoys as Death Eaters; their political status was too high and valuable to risk.  
“Alright, last one, boy. Is there any way in which you are going to pose a threat to the people of Hogwarts?”  
“I don’t know.”  
“What?”  
“I don’t know.”  
“How could you not know?!”  
“I cannot know if the light will drive me to self-defense at any point.”  
“So you won’t hurt anyone unless they attempt to harm you first? Is that it?”  
“Correct.”  
“Fine, Potter. You can leave.”  
“What about an antidote?”  
“Here.” Moody shoved the vial to wards him, glaring furiously as he did so, “You must think you’re really clever. You won’t remain so for long, mark my words, boy.”  
“We shall see,” With that, Harry downed the potion and exited the room, confident that he hadn’t given away anything of note.  
Inside, Moody tapped the orb and stood, frustrated beyond measure at the boy’s answers. Where had he learned to manipulate the serum like that? He might as well not have administered it at all.  
Grasping the recording in his palm, Moody left to deliver it to Dumbledore.  
X  
The three marauders, Lily, and Dumbledore sat in the sitting room, prepared to view Harry’s interrogation. It was quite late, but they had wanted to wait until everyone was asleep to watch it.  
Moody had given it to Dumbledore without a word, his frustration almost tangible. All five were anxious to begin, and so the headmaster tapped the orb and projected it onto the wall.  
Lily and James cringed at the name Harry called himself, and Sirius grumbled at the use of a Slytherin descendant’s name. They were saddened, too, by Harry’s blatant distaste at his birth name.  
They then fell into rapt concentration as Harry dodged and avoided questions, giving short but technically complete answers, and never revealing much information.  
Remus was impressed at the boy’s cunning to outwit Alastor Moody, who was very experienced in the art of interrogation. He himself had been with the auror when they questioned captured Death Eaters, so he knew the man’s skill.  
By the time the recording ended, the group, with the exception of Dumbledore, saw Harry in a new light.  
Trained beyond his years, and by the Lestranges no less, and overly intelligent and manipulative, Harry seemed quite a bit more threatening.  
Lily was the first to shake herself out of it, “This doesn’t matter. It was clearly a ploy to distract Alastor. Harry is still our son, and we will bring him back to our side.”  
“Just so, my dear,” Dumbledore said cheerfully, “In fact, this bodes well for us. Alastor had no concerns of untruthful answers, so Harry has confirmed that he will not be attempting to escape or pass information through the Slytherins.”  
“So… it’s good?” Sirius looked doubtful.  
“Quite,” Dumbledore confirmed.  
“If you say so.”  
X   
Voldemort too was impressed with his son’s performance. He had seen a part of the questioning through the necklace and was pleased with the outcome.  
The light would have no idea what was coming. They would be decimated by the information Harry would pass along, and once Harry was home, they would have the power to take Hogwarts.  
The light would have no idea what hit them.  
Miles away, Harry unknowingly grinned at the same moment as his father, both preparing for the world they would soon bring about.  
X  
AN: Thanks for all the reviews! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and let me know what you think! Now that I am in the midst of finals, and soon to be Christmas, I probably won’t update as quickly. Sorry about that, but once things slow down, I should be back to about once a week *fingers crossed*!  
Next chapter will begin the Hogwarts adventure! Thanks to you all for your continued interest in my story – it seriously makes me so happy!

Possible spoiler addressing concern over if Harry will remain dark. If you don’t want to know Harry’s ending loyalty, don’t keep reading:

There’s been some concern over Harry’s loyalty to the dark, and I’d like to clarify that this will be an ultimately dark Harry story – even if there are some twists along the way; I like Dark Harry too much to let him go in the end. That being said, I’m trying to write dynamic characters, so light characters aren’t going to be strictly the “bad guys”. When all is said and done, though, don’t worry, Harry will be dark.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9  
Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me, I am only borrowing the concept  
X  
October 30th found Harry in his room, hastily throwing things into the trunk he had been given. He had not bothered packing before now, but seeing as they would be leaving in only an hour, he knew he should get going.   
He carefully warded one compartment, then placed in it his luxurious robes and dragonhide boots. Harry looked down in distaste at the common school robed he was made to don. They were nowhere near the quality or style he was accustomed to.  
Dumbledore had also given him a Gryffindor tie, which he had point-blank refused to put on until absolutely necessary.   
Once everything was pushed into his trunk and the lid was closed, Harry exited the room. He found James and Lily in the sitting room, conversing with Dumbledore, Remus, and Sirius.   
Harry stood in the doorway, watching them talk and joke about, until Sirius noticed him, and waved him in.  
“Come on in, Harry!” The man said boisterously.  
The green-eyed boy grimaced before walking lightly to the furthest chair and sitting on its edge.  
“Are you excited to go to Hogwarts?” Remus asked kindly.  
“Not particularly,” Harry replied.  
“Oh, you’ll love it, Harry. There’s lots of room to walk around and explore, and you’ll be able to make so many new friends,” Lily said cheerfully.  
“And the friends you’ll make there are ones you’ll have forever,” James continued with a fond look at the men across from him.  
“Oh yes, because everyone is simply itching to be friends with the son of Lord Voldemort.”  
Ignoring the flinches of the others Dumbledore replied, “No one will know the details of your past, so that will not be an issue.”  
Harry did not miss the unspoken words – he was not to tell anyone of his history. The group sat in silence for a few minutes before Remus spoke again, “We should really get going now.”  
“Quite right, we’ll take the floo,” Dumbledore stood and gestured Lily, James, and Harry towards it.   
James went first, calling out “Headmaster’s office, Hogwarts!”  
Lily then went with Harry, an obvious safeguard against him attempting to escape.  
Once everyone was in the office, Dumbledore smiled warmly and gestured to the door.  
“Let us head to Gryffindor tower, no one will be there at this time, so Harry can get all settled.”  
Harry curled his lip at the thought, but made no protest as they walked through the halls of the school. He could see why his father liked it – the castle practically radiated power, and he looked forward to the day when they could bring it to its full potential.  
Before they knew it, they were standing in front of the fat lady’s portrait.  
“Thestral,” Dumbledore spoke importantly.  
The five adults walked into the common room, but Harry felt a magical pull block him from the doorway.  
“Why is an unsorted student trying to enter the common room?” The fat lady looked appalled.  
“Of course he’s been sorted, he’s a Gryffindor,” Dumbledore protested.  
“No he’s not. The magic of the school is blocking his entry into the common room,” The portrait looked accusingly at the headmaster.  
“So, no student who’s unsorted can go into common rooms?” Remus looked curious.  
“Not except for a visit, and he is obviously not visiting,” the lady looked at Harry’s trunk.  
“Ah, well, we shall have to go back to my office then,” Dumbledore for once looked a bit lost as to what to do next, “Come, everyone.”  
The walk back to the gargoyle seemed longer, with a tense silence falling over the entourage. This would prove to be a difficult complication – for everyone except Harry, that is. He was thrilled at the idea of being sorted, and poking another hole in the Potters’ fantasy of a perfect Gryffindor son.  
Once everyone was in the office and seated comfortably in chairs, Dumbledore picked the sorting hat off the shelf.  
It was placed atop Harry’s head, and immediately he felt the presence within his mind.  
“Ah, the long-lost Potter – or should I say Riddle. I had wondered…”   
“Just get on with it,” Harry was uncomfortable with the presence peering into his consciousness.  
“Mmm, impatience, certainly not a Hufflepuff, then. Pity, your loyalty would have done well there.  
“Let’s see, fair bit of courage, along with pureblood chivalry, but… no, Gryffindor is all wrong for you.”  
“It cannot seriously be this difficult to figure out where I belong.”  
“No, I guess not, very well, Mr. Riddle, SLYTHERIN!”  
The room was silent when Harry removed the hat.  
“Well, shit,” Sirius said finally.  
“This certainly throws a wrench into things,” Dumbledore said.  
“Couldn’t he just… pretend to be Gryffindor? Wear their colors and sleep in their dorms? The portrait will let him in now he’s sorted,” James offered.  
But Lily shook her head, looking at Harry’s robes, “The crest changed to Slytherin. Whatever he puts on will change to Slytherin too. It’s meant to stop kids from switching houses with their twins and such.”  
“My my, the great Albus Dumbledore can’t manipulate everything?” Harry cut in sarcastically.  
“I do not manipulate, my boy, I only do what is best for the greater good.”  
“Look, bottom line is that Harry’s got to stay in Slytherin. Now, how is that supposed to work?” James spoke before Harry could reply to the headmaster.  
“We’ll just post aurors outside the dorm, as we would have done if he stayed in Gryffindor – we’ll survive without in-room surveillance,” Remus said.  
Dumbledore nodded, “That will have to do,” he turned to Harry, “Now we must know – have you any acquaintances in Slytherin house?”  
Harry masked his emotions and spoke simply, “No.”  
“Marvelous, off we go, then,” Dumbledore walked once more out of the office, this time turning the opposite direction, down to the cool dungeons.  
X  
The Slytherin common room was the closest thing Harry had seen to Riddle Manor since he was captured. The ceilings were high, but not so much as to be drafty, and the wood paneling was nicely offset by the deep greens and charcoals of the furniture.  
The four Gryffindor adults who had never seen this room were curiously eyeing the white stone fireplaces and floor to ceiling bookshelves.  
By far the most noticeable feature of the room was the back wall, which was entirely made up by a curved window, arching out into the Black Lake. On either side of the window spiral staircases descended into the ground, leading towards the dorm rooms.  
The room had a dignified, but familiar feel, and Harry felt immediately at home here – much more so than he had when he had seen the Gryffindor common room.  
“Lovely,” Sirius said sarcastically as he looked around, “Really makes me think of home.”  
James snorted, recalling Sirius’s descriptions of the Grimmauld place from his childhood.  
“The dorms seem to be down there,” Lily said, already walking towards the wrought iron steps.  
Harry followed, pleasantly surprised when he realized his trunk had been magically transported downstairs already.  
The three marauders followed, but Dumbledore stayed back, murmuring something about them spending time with Harry, before exiting the common room.  
Once Harry reached the bottom of the stairs, he looked about the wide hallway for the fifth-year dorms. They were about hallway down, on the right, and Harry suppressed a smile when he saw the plaque on the door.  
Fifth Year Slytherin Boys:  
Vincent Crabbe  
Gregory Goyle  
Draco Malfoy  
Theodore Nott  
Harry Potter-Riddle  
Blaise Zabini  
James, however, frowned and tapped the inscription with his wand. Slowly, the ‘Riddle” faded away, leaving only ‘Harry Potter.’  
“There,” He said, ignoring Harry’s snarl, “Let’s go in.”  
The dorm, much like the common room, was elegant and refined, also featuring a window into the lake. The six beds were positioned long the opposite wall, facing the window, which had heavy black drapes on either side to block out the light.  
The style of the beds was much like that of the Gryffindors, with silver and green hangings and soft blankets. The bathroom was off to the side, through a door, and a fireplace was efficiently warming the room.  
Harry walked to the second bed on the right, finding his trunk at the end of it. He smiled slightly at the sight of Draco’s trunk next to his. This was going to be a better stay than he thought.  
X  
Leo tapped his feet anxiously as he sat through his last class of the day. He had been waiting all day for dinner, when Harry would be there and eat with him and his friends.  
The Weasleys and Hermione had been less than enthused when Leo had told them about Harry staying in Gryffindor, but they had come around.  
Finally the class ended and Leo all but sprinted to the Great Hall, only to draw up short when he saw his parents standing by the Slytherin table where Harry was sitting.  
Lily and James finally left Harry to eat and started walking to where Leo was standing. Once they reached him Leo just stared.  
“What is Harry doing with the Slytherins?”  
“That’s where he was sorted, honey,” Lily replied.  
“But I thought you weren’t going to. He was gonna be with us in Gryffindor.”  
“I know, but the common rooms wouldn’t let him in – he had to be sorted.”  
Leo looked at his feet.  
“Hey, don’t you worry, son. We’ll still have plenty of time together with Harry as a family,” James put a hand on Leo’s shoulder.  
The boy looked up hopefully, and the three Potters smiled at each other.  
On the other side of the Great Hall, Harry sat, toying with the pendant that hung around his neck. He wondered if his father had seen any of the day’s events – if he knew Harry had been sorted into their ancestral house.  
Harry smirked slightly. Voldemort had always teased Harry about him belonging to a house other than Slytherin, now he had concrete proof of his Slytherin-ness.  
Harry was pulled from his reverie by the sound of someone sitting down across from him. Looking up, he saw Draco Malfoy, staring at him with barely concealed shock.  
“Harry?” The blond hissed, “What the hell are you doing here?”  
“This is my new prison – no don’t look at Dumbledore – act like you don’t know me,” Harry muttered while hardly moving his lips.  
Draco’s eyes flashed in understanding and he immediately adopted an air of superiority – something Harry knew would not be difficult for his friend.  
The Malfoy heir gracefully pulled an empty plate towards himself, now aware of the eyes of the aurors on him, “Are you a new student?”  
“Yes, I transferred from another magical school. My parents thought coming back to England, and to Hogwarts, would be beneficial to my education,” Harry carefully used words he knew would get his point across to Draco.  
“I see, and has it been so far?” Draco looked expectant.  
Harry understood, he was asking about any gathered information on the Order, “A bit, I suppose. Nothing worthwhile has happened yet, I’ve only just gotten here.”  
Draco nodded as more Slytherins began to sit down. Harry recognized about half of them as children of Death Eaters, though they of course did not recognize him as they had never seen him without a mask. Only Draco would know who he really was until he got around to telling people.  
The Slytherins eyed him curiously, no doubt recognizing his resemblance to the Potters.  
Finally Blaise spoke directly to him, “Are you related to the Potters by chance? I’m Blaise Zabini, by the way.”  
Harry shook the outstretched hand and nodded, “Unfortunately I am their son, but I’ll tell you more once we get back to our dorms.”  
Blaise arched an eyebrow. Harry was not familiar with the boy outside of what Draco had told him because the Zabinis were a neutral family.  
Harry was all too aware of the eyes of the aurors on them, even if they were too far away to hear what was actually being said. The rest of the Slytherins near him merely looked mildly intrigued before going back to their dinners.  
The Riddle heir, ever the keen observer, was fully aware of the inconspicuous looks cast his way throughout the meal, and knew he would not get away with not sharing anything for long.  
Half an hour later Harry rose with the rest of his dormmates, and they made their way to the dungeons. As they walked, Harry was uncomfortably aware of the aurors following the group, and he knew that if this became a pattern he would have to do something about them.  
Finally they reached the common room, and after giving the password, the six Slytherins went in, effectively leaving the aurors behind.  
Harry immediately settled into an armchair, Draco taking the one to his right. All the others also found seating and looked to him expectantly.  
“Ok, so who are you, and if you are a Potter, where’ve you been?” Blaise asked, obviously doing away with the typical Slytherin subtlety for the time being.  
“And how do you two know each other, cuz you obviously do,” Theo said, gesturing between Harry and Draco.  
Harry nodded before sitting back further in his chair, this would not be a short conversation, “I am technically the Potters’ son, but I was not raised by them and certainly do not identify as a Potter.”  
“So who were you raised by then? And why are you here now? And why for Merlin’s sake are aurors following you?” Theo fired off questions rapidly.  
“I’m here because the Potters decided they wanted me again, and before you ask, no I do not like them or anyone else on the light… I’m actually rather embroiled in the dark.”  
Draco smirked a little as Blaise’s eyebrows arched, “Oh?”  
Harry glanced around to ensure they were alone before speaking, “When the Potters first decided to give me up, I was placed with muggles,” Harry ignored the sounds of disgust, “but of course that was unacceptable, so I was taken in by the Dark Lord.”  
Silence reigned in the room. Draco smirk widened in amusement at the astounded faces of his friends.   
“But then, you’re dark, and Dumbledore… in a school? And the ministry knows?” Theo spluttered, “Oh this is fantastic!”  
After a moment’s pause the boy seemed to come to a dawning realization, “You’re the masked boy who was always in the training room and such.”  
Blaise looked thoughtful and cast a glance around the room, “Trained by the Dark Lord… obviously you’ll have skills outside of the Hogwarts curriculum.”  
Harry only smirked, before reaching into his robes and freeing Arsinoe, “Hey Arsinoe, you okay?”  
“Yes, master. Though I don’t want to be held under your robes all day every day.”  
“Of course not. I’ll make you a nice nest in the dorm room.”  
Once again four shocked faces stared at Harry.   
“What? I was raised by Voldemort,” he said by way of explanation.  
Theo blinked and then returned to his questioning, “So, you two already knew each other?” The brunet gestured between Harry and Draco.  
This time Draco nodded, “We’ve been friends for a decade; we’ve trained together for our whole lives.”  
“Alright, what’s the deal with being here, then? You don’t need any further education from these professors,” Blaise looked curiously at the Riddle heir.  
“No, but unfortunately quite a few individuals in positions of light power are here,” Harry responded.  
Understanding blossomed on Blaise’s face, “You’re here to spy.”  
Harry nodded, “The aurors are an unfortunate side effect of being here, but I imagine they won’t pose too much of a problem.”  
“Especially not if you’ve got us to help further your cause,” Theo added.  
“Damn,” Blaise said, “This is gonna be a fun year.”  
The others couldn’t help but agree.  
X  
Harry rubbed his temples in frustration. He was only in his second class of the day but already he had a splitting headache. Professor Flitwick was droning on about some basic charm Harry had learned when he was eight.  
Harry had been having a truly awful day, from being constantly followed by aurors to the blatant stares of the other students, he was excruciatingly close to cursing someone.  
He felt a quick touch to his arm, and turned to Draco, who was seated next to him. The blond gave him a look that said ‘you ok?’ and Harry nodded. Draco shrugged and turned his attention back to the essay he was writing for potions – neither boy felt the need to pay attention.  
Finally, just as Harry was about to act and hex the professor into oblivion, the class was over. He and Draco practically fled from the room, closely followed by the other Slytherins, who never seemed too keen on letting them out of their sight.  
Harry walked purposefully down to the dorms, not terribly interested in going to lunch in the great hall where the Potters would be.  
The boys following them eventually split off to get lunch, leaving only Harry and Draco to enter the dorm. The two went to sit on their beds, facing each other. This, they had determined, was the safest place to talk, as no one was likely to overhear them.   
“So,” Draco began, “What’s the plan?”  
Harry groaned in exasperation, “Honestly, it was to gain their trust so I could get information, but the way things are going it’s looking more like I’ve just got to do some old-fashioned spying, then facilitate my escape.”  
“Why don’t you think you’ll be able to gain their trust?”  
“I mean, I thought I could – and I definitely still could with the Potters and their friends – but with the aurors and everyone else that matters, they’re just too suspicious of me.”  
“And rightly so,” Draco smirked, “But that does cause a problem, if your guards are overly suspicious.”  
“Exactly. I’ve gotta think of a way to get access to Dumbledore’s office, or an Order meeting or something.”  
“Hmmm, tricky. Any time frames?”  
“I’ve really gotta be out of here by February, we’ve got some… plans that will be needing to be put in motion then”  
Draco nodded, knowing better than to ask about any specifics, “That gives us somewhere around three months to get info and form a successful escape plan.”  
Harry groaned again before a slightly maniacal gleam entered his eyes, “Perhaps we shall have to put our training to use.”  
Draco slowly matched his friends grin at the thought of what the next couple months would bring.  
X   
An: Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter – it was rather fun to write. Please leave me a review and let me know what you think, or if you have any suggestions.  
I’m going to try to get another chapter out before Christmas, but to be honest I’m not sure if I’ll be successful… We shall see. Thanks to all my consistent readers and reviewers – you all really inspire me to keep writing!


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10  
Disclaimer: I do not own a single word of Harry Potter, unfortunately.  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
Lily sat atop hers and James’s bed, staring at the wall opposite. She had been sitting there for ages, at first pondering her increased emotional behavior – often a result of Harry’s constant rejections – then, coming to a likely conclusion for her feelings, working up the courage to cast the spell she had found in her old charms book.   
It was a spell she had not needed to use for a dozen years, not since she had first suspected the existence of Leo. Indeed, she was now working up the courage to cast a pregnancy revealing spell.  
The wand in her hand shook the smallest amount as she directed it at her abdomen. Murmuring the incantation, she watched as a pale purple light shot out towards her. Just as it was about to be absorbed into her skin it seemed to pool around her middle, forming a little bubble. That bubble then shimmered, flickering a bit before turning pink, and Lily gasped.  
A girl. She was pregnant with a little girl… and at possibly the worst time imaginable. She rested a hand over her stomach, a mix of emotions swirling within her. This, on the one hand, was something she had always dreamed of – having a little girl to pamper and dress up – but on the other hand, this little life was definitely a bit of a problem when it came to the current goings-on.   
Taking a deep breath to settle the anxiety, Lily rose to go floo-call James at the ministry. To think he had just decided to start going into work again, and now he would need to come back to help her prepare. Lily shook her head and knelt before the fireplace, tossing in a handful of floo powder as she did so.  
“Lily? Is something the matter?” James was crouching before the hearth in his auror office.  
“No, no everything’s ok. I just- I have some news.”  
James leaned forward in anticipation, “What is it?”  
“I- Well, I’ve had a suspicion for a month or so, and this morning a cast a revealing charm, and, well, James, I’m pregnant.”  
James looked floored before a slow smile crept across his face, “Really?! Oh, Lils that’s amazing!”  
Lily grinned with him, “It’s a girl,” she said excitedly.  
James was over the moon, a little girl, he could hardly speak he was so thrilled at the prospect.  
Then, a shadow crossed his features, “What about Harry?”  
Lily looked down, “I know, it’ll be much more complicated now.”  
James looked determined, “It’ll be okay; I’ll try and work for as long as you’re able to keep up and about, and then as soon as you need help, I’ll come stay at Hogwarts.”  
Lily looked uncertain at pulling James away from his work again, but recognized it as necessary, “Okay.”  
James smiled, “Okay, Lily, I’ve got to get back to work… A little girl,” he was beaming once more as his image faded away from the green flames.   
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
The greenish light which filtered through the dorm window offered perfect ambience to the less-than-legal activities taking place within the room. Harry sat at the desk, turned to face Draco and Theo as they worked out some details of the next few months.   
Blaise, Crabbe, and Goyle were not present as they had obligation with certain professors at the moment, though they would be filled in later. Harry had deemed Blaise trustworthy after a series of oaths and promises, despite the Zabini family’s traditionally neutral political stance.  
Theo spread out a large piece of parchment over the desk, drawing out several columns and rows to create a, efficient organization system.  
“Alright, we need to figure out who our allies will be, as well as our most notable adversaries, and then figure out the specific roles of each person,” Theo gestured to each designated space as he spoke.   
Harry nodded, and looked thoughtful, “We can say for certain that the two Carrow girls will be of use, I’ve seen them often enough around that manor training rooms. Also Parkinson and Bulstrode.”  
Draco added, “Daphne and Tracy aren’t exactly dark enough to trust with all the facts, but they’re trustworthy enough to at least be of use.”  
“There’re also a few students in Ravenclaw I know for sure will be perfect for the cause. They tend to be trusted by professors, so it’ll be perfect,” Theo mentioned as he scribbled furiously at the parchment.  
“Excellent,” Harry said, scanning the ever-growing list of allies, “Now, who do we really need to look out for, besides the obvious authority figures.”  
Harry knew this would be another area which Draco and Theo would be most useful in. Even though Harry knew almost all the adult Order and ministry members, he was woefully uninformed on the allegiances and power of the Hogwarts population.  
“Obviously all the students with significant ministry or Order ties have to be kept perfectly unaware,” Draco began, “With special attention to the Weasleys, Potter, and Longbottom. They all have family especially close to Dumbledore,” He continued, pointing out and underlining certain names as Theo wrote them.  
The trio continued on in this fashion for the next several hours, filling in names from every house into categories of usefulness and threats, until Harry recognized his need to make an appearance to the aurors.  
“We can’t let them get suspicious that I’m up to something, or that I’m in league with either of you,” He explained as he wrapped Arsinoe about his arm and treaded to the hallway.  
The other two nodded and went to the common room to wait so they wouldn’t be noticed exiting together. Meanwhile, the Slytherin heir left to go up to the library, figuring he might as well do some looking into the flaws and weaknesses of the castles structure, should he ever need to make a quick getaway.  
Harry walked briskly to the first floor and ducked into the quiet atmosphere of the library. He was growing ever more irritated by the constant watch of the aurors, and with this frustration grew his desire to take Arsinoe up on her offer of biting one of the pesky guards.  
If only his animagus was a more venomous snake, he would do the honors of attacking on his own. But, alas, his form would be useful only for the spying he could do while in snake form.  
Harry scanned the library for a quiet place to sit and walked hesitantly over to a corner where only a couple of younger Hufflepuffs sat. Harry lowered himself into a chair without a word, and although his companions looked up nervously, neither said anything to the Slytherin.  
Harry internally smiled; say what you would about Hufflepuffs, but they knew when to mind their business, and for that they made excellent library company.  
Harry pulled several books and maps from his bag that he had picked out and laid them on the table. He had been carefully cross-referencing the numerous versions of Hogwarts maps, as well as adding his own observations in order to gather a complete knowledge of the castle’s hidden secrets.   
It seemed, the Slytherin noted as he worked, that the castle would subtly alter its structure every decade or so, a fact which only caused Harry more issues.   
It was tedious work, and it was only while perusing one of the earliest descriptions of the school that he came across an interesting bit of information.  
“Each of the Founding Four saw fit to add a secret to the building they brought into being. This took the shape most notably in the secret chamber added by Salazar Slytherin. The room is said to be accessible only by the blood relations of the Slytherin line, and to house one of the fiercest and most valuable beasts in the world.  
“Not much is known about the secrets of the founders, and none has ever found the treasures the Four places within the heart of the castle.”  
The account went on to talk about more myths and theories about the hidden value of the castle, but Harry was unable to focus on anything but what he had just read.  
A secret chamber, one that only a Slytherin heir could open. He was the Slytherin heir… that could only mean that… yes. Harry returned his eyed to the earlies maps. He would find this chamber, and it would be the key to his ultimate success.  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
Voldemort was flung from the grasp of the orb around his son’s neck with significant force. He fell back into his chair and contemplated what he had seen.  
His son was certainly excelling under the circumstances, he was establishing connections and alliances that would serve him for years to come. And, of course, he had learned of the Chamber.   
Voldemort was surprised to learn that Harry did not know already of the Chamber’s existence. Had he really never told him about it in all their years together? Well, he supposed, they never really did discuss Hogwarts, as it tended to disappoint Harry as he could not attend. Nevertheless, he would make a point to tell his son about his past once he returned. After all, it was his past that brought them to where they were today, and understanding that was important to understanding the cause.  
The man was pulled from his thoughts as a knock sounded on the chamber door.  
“Enter,” he commanded.  
Bellatrix entered, a frown affixed to her face, as it often was these days. She walked into the room and bowed before the Dark Lord, before righting herself.  
“What is it, Bella?”  
“My Lord, I was just coming to ask about Harry, it has been a while since we’ve received any word.”  
“He is fine. He is performing his purpose admirably,” Voldemort said with a smirk. As if his son could do anything but admirable work.  
Bella looked marginally happier at that, “Is there any plan for his coming home?” She sounded hopeful.  
“Perhaps in a few months; he as a bigger purpose outside your preferences, and you would do well to remember that,” Voldemort infused power into his words, causing his follower to back down immediately.  
“Of course, My Lord. I only meant that we all missed him.”  
“I’m sure. Now go.”  
Bella hurried from the room, albeit with a slightly brighter gait than she had entered with. Voldemort understood her desires. He too wished Harry could be back, but he also had his priorities straight, and this was not so high on the list as his quest for power and a perfect wizarding world.   
No, his son would stay away for as long as he was useful, and when he returned they would rule the wizarding world together.  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
“Harry.”  
“Harry!”  
“Harry, Wait!” James was puffing as he finally caught up with the green-eyed Slytherin just outside one of the outer greenhouses.  
“Can I help you?” Harry looked none-too-pleased with his new company. Honestly, the constant aurors were bad enough, but at least they didn’t insist on talking to him.  
James cringed a little at the harsh tone, but was not dissuaded, “Yeah, erm, what’re you doing?”  
“Herbology.”  
“It’s a Saturday.”  
“Homework is still a thing, or have you forgotten,” Harry looked exasperated.  
James looked a little surprised, as though he didn’t think Harry would participate that much, but didn’t comment on it.  
“Well, I’m sure you can get to it tomorrow, your mother and I needed to talk to you and your brother about something.”   
“Nothing would thrill me more than to join in your family meeting, but I have more important things to attend to.”  
“No, Harry. I must insist. This is really important,” James tried to physically turn Harry towards the castle, but he wrenched himself away and started up the path at the same fast pace he had treaded down with.  
“Geez, Harry, how do you move so fast?” James was still trying to catch his breath from the walk down as he hurried after his son.  
Harry sneered but didn’t respond. This was a serious waste of time, and the sooner he could get it over with the sooner he could get back to the greenhouses. He would need to gather ingredients for the next day soon, or else the potion wouldn’t be ready in time.  
The two finally reached the castle doors, and James took the lead up to his and Lily’s quarters. As they walked Harry made note of little alcoves and shadowed corners which would be useful should he ever need to sneak up here.  
James held the portrait open for Harry and he entered, choosing to sit in the chair which faced the door, offering a direct path to escape. He noted Lily sitting adjacent looking a little too excited for whatever they had to say, and Leo across from her, his gaze fixed on Harry.  
“Harry,” the redhead beamed, “How are you liking classes so far? Do you have a favorite?”  
“I haven’t attended all of them yet, so how could I?” Harry looked condescendingly at her.  
Not dissuaded at all, she pressed on, “Well, are you liking Slytherin?”  
At this Harry smirked, “Yes, although I expected nothing less from my ancestral house.”  
Now Lily did look uncomfortable, but thankfully for her she was saved by James sitting down next to her.  
He beamed at his sons and grasped his wife’s hand which was resting on the couch next to him. Harry’s face did not move, and he continued to look disdainfully at the couple.  
“Alright, we have some news, and I know that we haven’t been a whole family long, but we know this will be a wonderful change for us all,” Lily began.  
Harry grimaced at the sentence but didn’t voice his feelings, not valuing their opinion enough anymore to try and dissuade them. If they were too dense to understand that he would never be their son now, they never would. He would stop attempting to put them right, and maybe when the realization finally hit that he was no longer theirs, it would hurt as much as being abandoned and never rescued did.   
Harry had found his true family, and he would go back to them, no matter what the Potters believed to be true. They could burn. And they would, he would see to it.  
Lily’s voice pulled him from his dark-turning thoughts, “Leo, Harry, you’re going to have a little sister!”  
Leo’s mouth dropped open, and Harry pulled his occlumency shields tight to keep from reacting. A baby? Honestly, these light families just didn’t know when to stop, did they. Pretty soon they’d be like the Weasleys.   
The parents’ smiles faltered a little at Harry’s nonreaction, but they swiftly recovered.   
Leo was practically bouncing around the room, “I’m gonna be a big brother?! Oh man, that’ll be awesome! I’m gonna teach her to play Quidditch and prank teachers and-”  
“Slow down there, bud. It’ll be a few years before any of that happens,” James said with a chuckle.  
Harry wasn’t paying any more attention to the goings on, he was thinking about how he could use this to his advantage. Certainly the distraction would be useful for spying, and depending on when she was due, Lily might even be one more potential threat who would be out of commission when it came time for him to escape.  
Perhaps he could even- but no, that would be too cruel. And yet… Yes.  
A grin spread across Harry’s face as he formulated the perfect revenge on the Potters. One that would leave them just as devastated as he had been.   
For once, all four biological Potters were together hand happy, albeit for very different reasons. It was a truly beautiful image, and one that would never last.  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
Harry ducked quickly into a shadowed alcove just outside the Slytherin dorms. He was fairly certain he hadn’t been seen by the aurors, so now all he had to do was wait.   
It only took a couple minutes for the person he was after to round the corner, and he reached out and pulled her into hos alcove before she could make a sound.  
“What! Oh, Harry? What’s going on, what do you want?” Pansy Parkinson looked none too impressed with this latest development, but Harry could see her intrigue, nonetheless.   
“I need you to do a favor for me.”  
“Mmm, and what might that be?”  
“Do you perchance know the best way to get into one of the student potions labs undetected by certain professors?”  
“Ah, I see,” Pansy smirked, “I may have just the information you’re looking for… but it’s gonna cost you.”  
“I expected nothing less. I presume an owed favor will suffice?”  
“Quite right,” The dark-haired girl replied, “Now, follow me.”  
The two Slytherins slipped down the hall, in the opposite direction to the Great Hall, going deeper into the cold Dungeons. They walked for a few minutes, making several turns into side corridors as they went.  
“You better know where you’re going, Parkinson.”  
“Shut it. I know what I’m doing,” she sneered, “Here.”  
A door was shoved open and Harry found himself in the secondary supply closet, located off the last student potions lab.  
“Excellent. Many thanks, Parkinson,” Harry said as he entered the room.  
“You had just better hold up your end of the bargain.”  
Harry looked vaguely offended at that, “What kind of Slytherin do you think I am?”  
She simply smirked and sauntered back the way they had come, disappearing back into the dark depths of the castle.  
Harry shook his head and went to gather his supplies. He filled a cauldron with water and set a low flame burning beneath it. Then he set out to prepare his ingredients while the liquid heated up.  
He pulled out an unassuming brown bag from his pocket and extracted the luminescent white flowers from within. These were the blooms which he had needed from the greenhouses, and he had had quite the time getting them. For one, they came from plants which only produced one flower at a time, so he had to be strategic where he took them from so that they wouldn’t be missed.   
Then there was the whole issue of the spitting venom. Harry shuddered as he dissected the flowers with practiced ease.   
These blooms would be the key ingredient in the concoction, one which would guarantee his allies to be faithful and useful while he was here. Yes, the potion was illegal, but most of what Harry did was, so he wasn’t too concerned. No one except Pansy even knew he was here, and she was too faithful to the cause to snitch.  
Harry worked in concentrated silence for the better part of an hour, Arsinoe curled up contentedly beside him. Finally, he hauled the cauldron from the fire and portioned it out into several crystal vials.  
“Finished, Master?” Arsinoe slithered nearer to the now emptied cauldron.  
Harry made a sound of affirmation before casting a cleaning charm over the cauldron, “Come, Arsinoe, we have to be getting back before anyone notices I’m gone.”  
“Insufferable aurors. I’ll bite them one of these days, just say the word, Master,” the snake hissed menacingly.  
“That day might be closer than we think,” Harry replied with a smirk as he adjusted his robes around the dark snake. The two then continued down the darkened corridor, vials clinking together ever so softly in the Slytherin’s pocket.  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
An: I hope you all liked that chapter! Also, Happy New Year to everyone! Please leave me a review and let me know what you think or whatever suggestions you might have! I know some of you are waiting for some more action, and I promise there will be some more exciting moments in the next few chapters once Harry’s had a chance to make all his plans. Wouldn’t want him getting caught :)  
Anyways thanks for reading and hopefully reviewing! I’ll try and get another chapter out in the next week or two.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11  
Disclaimer: Harry Potter in no way belongs to me, no matter how much I wish it did.  
X  
The room was dark, yet surprisingly comfortable. A couple dozen or so people stood within, waiting for the one who had called them there to arrive. They had been walking to the room in groups of one or two, not wanting to arouse suspicion, and now that they were all finally there, there was nothing to do but wait.  
The door suddenly opened and shut in quick succession, and the room was flooded in light from Harry’s spell. He had come last so that the aurors wouldn’t be around for everyone else’s arrival, and now finally the meeting could begin.  
Harry scanned the room, putting faces to names as he did so. Pansy and Millicent sat opposite Flora and Hestia Carrow, apparently murmuring quietly amongst themselves. The five Slytherin boys in Harry’s year were nearest them, staring expectantly at Harry, much like the rest of the Slytherins in the room – about 7 students from different years, if Harry was correct.  
Finally, the eight remaining students sprinkled throughout the room looked vaguely nervous as the observed their leader. There were five from Ravenclaw, two from Hufflepuff, and one seventh year Gryffindor.  
Harry finished his scan and spoke softly, but with great authority, “You are all here because of your or your family’s allegiance to the dark. You were deemed trustworthy and useful to my cause here, and I expect each of you to fulfill your duties without fault.  
“I, of course, am not naïve enough to simply take you at your word for your loyalty, and so I have prepared an… insurance measure, if you will.” Everyone in the room looked up at those words, wondering what that could be.  
Harry responded by pulling the vials from his pocket, and laying them out on the table before him, “Each of you will take this loyalty potion, which will ensure that you cannot betray me or my cause, under threat of being stripped of your magic.  
“If you refuse to take it, you will be obliviated of this interaction, and be permanently labeled as an enemy of the cause.   
“Now, who’s first?” Harry held up a vial and smiled.  
One by one, every student in the room went up to take the potion, then swear an oath to seal the effects. The Hufflepuffs went last, and once the final girl had downed the shimmering liquid, Harry stowed the remaining two vials back into his pocket.  
“Now,” He said, once again addressing the room, “You have been determined to be the most loyal in the school to the cause. There are, of course, others who will be aiding us, but you are to be the most vital. You all have unique and important roles to play in this mission. We need to find out all we can on the most secret and inner workings of the Order of the Phoenix.   
“In order to do this, we must not only spy on Dumbledore and other Order members, but also get into their offices to gather physical information and find a way to observe meetings. And, of course, we must never get caught. One slipup will mean not only the demise of the mission, but also that of the person responsible.   
“Are we clear?” Harry made eye contact with each person in the room one by one, internally smirking as some of the more skittish shied away a bit.  
Everyone nodded, putting on a determined face, ready to serve the cause they had now firmly committed themselves to.  
“Excellent. Theo?” Harry gestured to his Slytherin counterpart.  
The hazel-haired boy immediately began magically projecting their maps and plans onto the far wall. The whole room turned their attention to the first document – an outline emblazoned with the title Mission 1: Weaken Auror Surveillance.  
X   
“He’s been down there for ages.”  
“It’s only been half an hour, calm yourself,” Moody said gruffly to his younger companion, “And stay quiet. We can’t miss any thing suspicious, including noises. Constant vigilance.”  
Tonks rolled her eyes but didn’t say anything else. Tension among Harry’s guards had been rising lately with the suspicions of some nefarious plan taking place.  
Flashback  
“I’m telling you, the boy’s up to something! Disappearing into the dungeons a couple times a week, talking to that Nott kid,” Moody was close to shouting at the other people present in the room.  
“We all have our suspicions, Alastor, but the fact of the matter is we have no proof,” Remus said, placatingly.  
“My suspicion is proof enough,” The grizzled auror slammed his hand upon the table.  
“That’s not how the headmaster will see it,” Kingsley responded.  
Tonks ran her hands through her dark purple hair in agitation, “We have to keep an especially close eye on him. If he starts doing anything which could be proof, we have to tell Dumbledore.”  
“Knew letting him go to Slytherin was a mistake,” Moody muttered darkly, “Slimy snakes.”  
No one in the room contradicted him.  
End of flashback  
Tonks rolled her shoulders and refocused her mind on her task. She stared down the dark corridor which Harry had disappeared down earlier.  
She didn’t understand why Dumbledore insisted they not actually follow him into any rooms. Something about offering him trust so he would offer it back in return. Hogwash, in her opinion.  
Not that she had anything against Slytherins, after all, her own mother was a Slytherin. But… that boy was raised by the actual Dark Lord. That was nothing to put lightly, even if he was technically a Potter.  
The two aurors stood there at the mouth of the corridor for another twenty minutes before the green-eyed boy reappeared, walking past them without so much as a glance in their direction.  
They followed behind him, close enough to watch him, but not so much as to be noticeable by any bystanders. Thus, they did not stick around to see the other 24 people leave the corridor a few minutes later.  
X  
Harry slithered though the school, keeping to side corridors and shadows as much as possible. This was the first time in ages he had been able to transform into his black snake, and he relished in the sleek feel of it.   
He raced along the flagstones, slipping in and out of alcoves and curling into darkened areas when students passed by. His objective was clear: get into the auror meeting room, memorize their schedule, get out. It was simple.  
He reached the sturdy wooden door and stared up at it, hissing a long stream of parseltongue. The ancient magic did its work and the locked door creaked open to admit him.  
The room was empty, most of the aurors either stationed out to ‘check the wards’ or keeping watch at his dorm, where he was supposedly working on homework.   
In the center of the open room was a wide table, with several chairs surrounding it. Harry made quick work of slithering up onto a chair and from there lunging onto the table. He blessed all the rigorous training he had done, that he was able to perform such physical feats.  
The table was laden with papers, everything from rotation charts to newspaper clippings outlining his father’s movements. Harry went directly to the center paper, which listed all the designated locations of all the aurors present at the school, as well as scheduled meeting times for the next two weeks.  
Harry memorized every word in rapid speed, a product of his endless education. He then slipped from the table, knowing he had precious little time before an auror returned to the room.  
The stone floors scraped a little at his scales, but he did not let himself focus on that. Harry darted along the halls, using the little passages and shortcuts he had discovered on his way there.  
He sprung quickly into a little alcove as he heard students coming up the corridor. It wasn’t long before he identified their voices.  
“I know he’s your brother, mate, but he gives me the creeps.”  
“Just because he’s in Slytherin doesn’t make him creepy,” a younger voice responded indignantly.  
“Weeeelllllllll,” The first voice drew out the word.  
“Ronald, it’s about time you quit these ridiculous prejudices,” Hermione’s studious voice resounded in the corridor as the trio walked dangerously near to Harry’s hiding place, “But, to be fair, and no offense to you, Leo, Harry is definitely a little stereotypical for a Slytherin.”  
Leo huffed indignantly, “He’ll come around.”  
In the moment of silence Harry could picture the incredulous looks likely on Granger and Weasley’s faces.   
Then, just as the voices faded out of earshot, Harry heard, “I’m sure he will, Leo.”  
Harry internally scoffed before gliding from the shadows and continuing his trek back to the dungeons. It was a challenge getting by the aurors at his dorm room door undetected, and then waiting for another student to come by and open the door, but, finally, Harry was back in the relative safety of the common room.  
He transformed in the bathroom and reemerged to write down all the information he had gathered. Harry smiled a little at the success of his first real outing. Let the games begin.  
X  
James Potter ran his hand through his hair for what must have been the eighteenth time that hour. He was pacing furiously in front of the window, occasionally letting his eyes drift towards the greenhouses where he knew Harry was having a herbology lesson.  
“Prongs, mate, you’ve gotta stop doing that, it’s distracting,” Sirius said.  
James dropped into his chair and faced his wife and two best friends, “He’s been here for three weeks and still hasn’t really spoken to us,” He stood again, much to Sirius’s annoyance, “How are we supposed to gain his loyalty if we never see him?”  
“Maybe he’s still just settling in,” Remus said calmly, “It can be very difficult to get used to Hogwarts if it’s not like how you’ve ever lived.”  
“You’re right, you’re right. I just- I need him to at least be a little open to us.”  
“We’ll keep working at it, James. Maybe schedule weekly activities or something,” Lily took her husband’s hand.  
She had a slight bump at her middle where their daughter was, and James relished the sight. He nodded and squeezed her hand.  
“Maybe some weekends it would be helpful for all four of us to take him and Leo out on the grounds to go flying or something, y’know, introduce a little fun in his life,” Sirius grinned.  
“You just want an excuse to go flying again,” Remus rolled his eyes.  
“So what if I do? It’s not a crime for a man to want to revisit his school days. You’re just grumpy cuz you don’t like flying. Would rather spend a sunny afternoon in the dusty old library.”  
“We’re getting off topic,” James cut in, “We’ve gotta figure out how to get through to Harry.”  
“I like the idea of weekly meetings, sometimes just you and Lily, or Leo, and sometimes Sirius and I can come too.”  
“That way it won’t be too monotonous,” Lily nodded, “Ok, every Saturday we’ll do that then,” she raised her chin a fraction, “And we will get through to him. I refuse to let my son be taken away from me again.”  
“Right you are, Lily. We’ve got him back now, and we won’t ever let him go. We can change him.”  
No one voiced the doubt that each and every person in the room held in their hearts.  
X  
The following Saturday dawned bright and early, and found Harry sitting at his desk, scratching away with a quill. Today he was being forced into an outing with the Potters, and he was going to make the best of it.  
Who knew what information could be gathered from the two Order members when their guard was down.  
He checked the time and saw that breakfast had finally begun. Harry hated that they didn’t start weekend breakfast until 7 here. He was used to being up and eating by 6.  
Shaking his head to clear his mind, he pulled on some casual grey robes, annoyingly edged in red. The Potters had bought him a new wardrobe, none of it very fine, and it was disturbingly Gryffindorian, but it would do.   
They were at least better than the style-less school robes, so on they went. Harry longed to pull out his silken dueling robes and dragonhide boots, but he didn’t want to raise suspicion, and he would need them for his escape.  
Adjusting the final clasp of his outer robe, Harry swept from the dorm and went towards the dining hall, his dormmates still sleeping behind them. Apparently at school they had no such discipline as he did.   
The great hall was next to empty, and Harry seated himself next to one of the 7th years who had been at his meeting. They exchanged cursory nods, but did not speak, both not to raise suspicion and also because of the obvious nervousness the other boy felt at being seated next to Voldemort’s son.   
Harry noticed that both the Potters were seated at the head table, eyes directed towards him. For once there were no other aurors present. Apparently, James and Lily were enough for now.  
Harry ate deliberately slowly, enjoying the two adults fidgeting at their seats. He had piled his plate high with all types of breakfast fare, and though he had no intention of eating the Dudley-sized portion, he enjoyed watching the adults’ discomfort at his slow pace.  
Finally the Slytherin heir knew he could stall no more, and, gracefully wiping his mouth with his napkin, he rose and swept to the exit of the great hall.  
The Potters, not expecting this, as a mountain of food still lay on Harry’s plate, scrambled to the doorway to catch up with him.  
They found their son leaning casually against the wall nearest the door, his cloak fastened around his shoulders.  
“Hey, Harry,” James said cheerfully, if a little out of breath, “Ready to go?”  
Harry nodded and pushed the great door open, allowing a gust of cold late November air to breeze past him.  
James shivered, “Pretty soon it’ll be too cold to do much outside, eh, Harry?”  
“Yes, that is how winter usually works,” Harry replied monotonously.  
Unfortunately, both the adults seemed positively thrilled he had responded. Whatever, if he was going to get information out of them, he would eventually need to talk.  
“The grounds are so pretty right before winter, don’t you think so,” Lily tried to keep the conversation going.  
Harry hummed in response. He was not going to participate in small talk.  
“Er, so, how do you like your classmates?” James took over the conversation.  
“Fine,” Harry internally smirked, they were getting closer to what he wanted to discuss, “though it’s hard to know everyone, even after being here for so long.”  
“That’s normal, just start with the students in your year, and maybe those in the one below. Everyone else will come later,” Lily advised.  
“Ah, whomever shall I grace with my presence first?” Harry asked dryly.  
Lily hesitated under Harry’s tone, but James was seemingly oblivious as he replied, “Well, surely you’ve already met the Weasleys, and Neville is a real nice boy – I mean, you can’t really go wrong in Gryffindor. Nice guys in Hufflepuff, too, as far as I know, maybe some fourth years?”  
‘Right’, Harry thought, ‘add fourth year Hufflepuffs to the list of people to avoid.’  
Rather than voicing his thoughts, though, Harry simple nodded, as though considering some life-changing advice he had never dreamed of.  
“What about the kids of the people who were at Black’s house in the summer?” Harry asked in his most innocent voice, not wanting to raise any suspicion about his questioning.  
James looked thrilled at Harry’s continuing the conversation, and replied, “Well, mostly that was the Weasleys, but there are a few families in the Order you didn’t meet, like-”  
James was abruptly cut off by Moody’s voice who was rushing towards them at an alarmingly fast pace, “What are you doing?!? You thought you could just take him this far into the grounds without any auror supervision?! The boy could do anything out here! He’s a dangerous wizard, and must be kept under constant security, not just babysat by his own parents! You wouldn’t raise a finger to stop him if he tried anything!”  
Harry missed the rest of the diatribe as fury overtook his senses. Moody had ruined his getting information on the Order again. The man was singlehandedly constantly ruining his attempts - he needed to go. And soon.  
Harry turned abruptly and started back towards the castle. If they were so concerned with keeping an eye on him they could find him again themselves.   
Of course, he wasn’t more then 30 feet away from the group when he heard the obvious racket of three grown adults racing after him. He didn’t slow his pace or acknowledge any of them when they caught up to him, merely continued the trek back to the castle, and, by extension, his privacy in the dorm.  
Sweeping through the castle halls with his parents rushing to keep up with him certainly earned him a few odd looks, but he was none too concerned. He just wanted to get back to his dorm and get rid of Moody.  
Finally Harry reached the rough stretch of wall where the entrance to the Slytherin common room was located, and turned to the couple standing next to him. Moody had apparently stopped at the end of the hall.  
“This is the part where you leave,” he spat irritably.  
Lily looked crestfallen and James stared down at his toes.  
“Listen, Harry, we’re really sorry about today, Moody – he wasn’t supposed to show up like that.”  
“I figured. Now…” Harry looked exasperatedly towards the exit of the hall.  
Lily nodded and reached out as if to touch his hair, but he stepped back, and she withdrew her hand before she could reach him.  
“We’ll see you at lunch, ok, Harry?” She looked hopefully at him, “Maybe we can do something this afternoon with Leo.”  
Harry grunted a noncommittal and turned to face the entrance. The two Potters took this as their cue to leave, and as they did so, Harry murmured the password and slipped into the comfortingly familiar room.  
X  
Moody stalked back and forth in the deserted fifth floor hallway. He had received a note from Dumbledore that a secret passage was located behind one of the tapestries here and had come to ward it off to prevent Potter’s escape.  
Finding the little passage had been no problem, but warding it was proving to be a real challenge. It seemed that at some point someone had warded it against the very thing he was trying to do, and he simply could not get past the enchantments. What kind of wizard even bothered with this stuff? He sighed frustratedly and turned again to the narrow passage.   
He reached out with his magic and began again to carefully unravel the tight web of spells which was deterring him. Honestly, was this damn thing warded yesterday? The enchantments were as strong and tightly woven as the ones the aurors had put up just that week.  
Moody was so absorbed in his work that even his magical eye was affixed to the now-visible network of strands, and he neglected to watch the hall for just as second.  
And that second was all it took.  
The silent, wandless petrifying spell came out of nowhere, and Moody barely had time to throw out a shield when another, and another, and another came from seemingly every angle.   
His magical eye was spinning madly, and it took several minutes before he finally caught a glimpse of one of his attackers. A flash of dark robes and hair was all he saw before the figure ducked back around the corner, staying hidden despite the disillusionment charms cast over them.  
He leveled his wand at the figure’s hiding place but was forced to pivot as another spell came from the opposite direction. This time a flash of blond hair ducked behind the suit of armor.  
Moody was casting protective spells left and right, keeping one eye on each of his attackers, and so failed to notice what was right behind him. Until the sharp, deadly pain pierced his ankle.  
The grizzled auror swiveled to stare directly into the eyes of a long, black snake. One which currently had his blood dripping from its fangs.  
Moody’s world went fuzzy, and he heard a bizarre hissing noise that sounded oddly approving. Suddenly he couldn’t quite seem to remember who or where he was. Then all was black.  
X   
AN: I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! Sorry it’s later than usual – I’ve been having trouble finding time/motivation to write. Anyway, please leave me a review and let me know what you think! Thank you all for reading, you’re amazing :)


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